Shin Ara. She was the Sect Leader of the Asura Sect and Shin Sooa’s older sister.

Yet Shin Sooa glared at her sister as though she were staring down a mortal enemy.

Meanwhile, Shin Ara still wore a delighted expression.

“I came to meet Seo Kangrim and see you at the same time. After you left the Education Facility, we only talked briefly at the hospital.”

Shin Ara sidled up to Shin Sooa and reached for her arm.

But all she grasped was an empty sleeve.

“…So it couldn’t be treated after all.”

Shin Ara’s voice trembled weakly.

She looked like an ordinary person worrying over family.

At the sight of her sister like that, Shin Sooa seemed to hesitate for a moment.

“It’s no use after all. Come home, Sooa.”

“I’m not going back.”

“Everyone’s worried about you. You’ve lost an arm, and you won’t even come home…”

Shin Ara spoke in a heartfelt voice.

Judging by appearances alone, they looked like nothing more than a caring older sister and a rebellious younger one.

Despite Shin Ara’s earnest pleading, Shin Sooa remained immovable.

“I’m not going home. And what’s your reason for visiting Seo Kangrim besides me?”

“To recruit him into our sect.”

“No. He’s already agreed to join the same sect as me.”

“Then you could both come to me, couldn’t you?”

Shin Ara kept clinging to her sister.

But Shin Sooa pushed her away with almost cold detachment.

“I have nothing more to say to you, Unnie. Leave.”

“Sooa, please. Let’s talk. Father wants to see you too. He hasn’t been well lately. He might not have much time left.”

Shin Sooa seemed to waver at those words.

The mention of a parent’s impending death appeared to shake her.

Shin Ara spoke carefully.

“I know you hate me. But… if you change your mind, please contact me. Alright?”

Shin Sooa had been resolute moments ago, but this time she couldn’t answer.

Shin Ara patted her sister’s shoulder and quietly slipped out of the room.

The atmosphere was unsettled, as though a storm had just passed through.

Even Yoon Bom wore a bewildered expression.

She glanced around cautiously before whispering to Shin Sooa.

“Is she really the Sect Leader of the Asura Sect?”

“Yes.”

“That’s amazing! That’s one of the most powerful sects right now!”

“They’re still just gangsters.”

Shin Sooa muttered dismissively.

With a tone that bordered on contempt.

Yoon Bom spoke up in surprise.

“I’d heard rumors that the Asura Sect was basically a gang, but I guess it’s true. She didn’t seem like a gangster earlier, though…”

“To be precise, the leader of the Asura Sect is our father. My sister probably just holds the Sect Leader title as a public face…”

As she spoke, Shin Sooa’s expression grew increasingly dark.

Understandable, given that she despised her own family.

In my past life, I hadn’t been able to fully understand Shin Sooa.

Born into a wealthy and powerful family, she had abandoned everything and walked away.

Had she remained a daughter of the Asura Faction, she could have lived a life without want.

When I asked why she had cut ties with her family, Shin Sooa replied bitterly.

“Every bit of power and money my father gained came from killing and hurting people.”

She had even demanded the dismantling of the Asura Faction, but her father would never have accepted such a request.

The least she could do was leave that house.

She had made such a foolish choice purely out of conviction.

“To think they’ve even formed a sect now… I can’t fathom how much larger that organization will grow.”

Shin Sooa murmured weakly.

She rubbed her face with one hand before speaking.

“Bom, sorry, but could you give us a moment? I have something to discuss with Kangrim.”

“Oh, yes! Um, call me if anything comes up…”

Yoon Bom cast worried glances at Shin Sooa before leaving the room.

I stood rooted in place.

What did she want to talk to me about?

“Um, by any chance…”

Shin Sooa fidgeted with the hem of her clothes before speaking.

“Do you want to join the Asura Sect? My sister seemed interested in recruiting you, but I turned her down on my own…”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t responded to Shin Ara’s earlier proposal.

the Asura Sect, huh.

It was one of the sects that would steadily expand its influence and rise to prominence.

The organization had financial backing, connections, and strong cohesion—not a bad choice to join early on.

Most importantly, even if Baekyoung came and killed every member of that sect, it wouldn’t affect me at all.

The conditions were favorable in many ways, but…

“No. I have no intention of joining.”

At those words, Shin Sooa’s face brightened slightly.

Just moments ago, her expression had been stonily grim.

Was my refusal to join the Asura Sect really that much of a relief?

I gazed at her for a moment before speaking.

“Is that all you wanted to discuss?”

“Oh, no. I have a favor to ask…”

Shin Sooa hesitated before continuing.

“I think I need to go meet my sister and father. Would you be able to come with me?”

* * *

As we descended the stairs toward the meeting place, inhuman shrieks echoed from within.

The distinctive smell of an underground space hung in the air.

Stepping into the dimly lit basement, I asked Shin Sooa.

“Is this really the meeting place?”

“Yes. This is definitely where my sister specified, but…”

I found it hard to understand what the other party was thinking, choosing a place like this for a meeting.

The room indicated in the message was at the very back.

When I opened the door and stepped inside, I saw Shin Ara sitting in the darkness.

“Ah, welcome, both of you.”

Since she was holding a microphone, her voice echoed loudly through the room.

I frowned and sat across from her.

She offered me the microphone.

“Would you like to sing a song too, Seo Kangrim?”

“…No. I’m fine.”

The place Shin Ara had designated as the meeting spot was a karaoke room.

At first, I thought there was a mistake with the location, but it really was a karaoke room.

Even Shin Sooa looked somewhat taken aback.

I sat down on the sofa and spoke.

“This doesn’t seem like an ideal place for a conversation.”

“But I needed somewhere quiet to talk. Here, we can have a conversation without being disturbed, can’t we?”

“There are places like hotels, you know.”

“What? A hotel?”

Shin Ara jumped up and exclaimed.

She seemed somehow flustered.

“A hotel?! I—I’m not even married yet, what are you saying about hotels…!”

“Shin Sooa and I are staying at a hotel.”

“What? You two did seem suspicious, but don’t tell me…? S-Sooa, I think that kind of thing is a bit too soon…!”

Shin Sooa had her head down, covering her eyes.

She gave off the distinct impression of thinking, ‘This is my sister…?’

This was my first time meeting Shin Ara face-to-face and actually talking with her, and she was quite different from what I had expected in many ways.

To think a woman who seemed to have a screw loose somewhere was the Sect Leader of the Asura Sect.

Any ordinary person would have thought the same.

Shin Sooa addressed her flushed-faced sister.

“Unnie, why did you call us here? I thought we’d meet somewhere like a hospital.”

“Why a hospital?”

“You said Father was critically ill. That he was recuperating at home?”

“Oh, that. That was a lie. I figured you’d only come if I said that.”

Shin Ara smiled with an innocent, harmless expression.

Shin Sooa, however, did not smile.

When Shin Sooa immediately moved to leave the room, Shin Ara grabbed her.

“Sooa, I’m sorry! But I really needed to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Come to the Asura Sect, Sooa. The Asura Sect needs you.”

At that proposal, Shin Sooa bit her lip hard.

She forcefully twisted her arm free from Shin Ara’s grip.

“I’m not the right person.”

“Exactly. Who else could fit the Asura Sect as well as you?”

“I will never become a gangster!”

When Shin Sooa shouted, Shin Ara’s expression turned to one of apparent hurt.

That look made Shin Sooa’s gaze waver.

She hastily turned her head away.

“Then I’ll be going first. Don’t call me for this kind of talk again.”

Shin Sooa threw open the karaoke room door.

I was about to follow her out when Shin Ara caught hold of me.

She spoke with an earnest face.

“Excuse me, Seo Kangrim. You’re friends with Sooa, right?”

“…Well, something like that.”

“Then I’ll speak comfortably. Kangrim, could you spare me a moment?”

A talk?

When I glanced at Shin Sooa, she hesitated briefly before giving a slight nod and exiting first.

I could roughly guess what Shin Ara wanted to discuss, but…

I sat back down and looked at her.

“So what did you want to talk about?”

“I have a favor to ask… Could you let me know if anything happens to Sooa from now on?”

In a way, it was an ordinary request.

Family worrying about family’s well-being.

But this was, strictly speaking, an act of surveillance.

“I have no intention of monitoring Shin Sooa.”

“No, surveillance?! I’m just worried as her sister…”

She looked slightly taken aback.

Judging by her face alone, it seemed like a request born of genuine concern.

Shin Ara looked at me with eyes that brimmed with tears.

“Everything would be resolved if Sooa just joined our sect… And it would be nice if you joined too, Kangrim.”

She slowly raised her head and grasped my hand firmly.

“Our sect is really wonderful. We’ll back you with everything we’ve got. Oh, I even prepared a gift for you!”

Saying that, Shin Ara went to retrieve a briefcase she had placed in the corner of the karaoke room.

Beside it sat an enormous suitcase as well.

Shin Ara opened the briefcase with a flourish and pushed it toward me.

“This is yours if you join our sect. It’s not much, but…”

The briefcase was stuffed full of cash.

That amount looked to be roughly five hundred million won.

It was certainly a substantial sum, but…

“No. I’m fine.”

With the knowledge from my past life, five hundred million won was easy enough to earn.

As a price for betraying Shin Sooa, it was far too cheap.

When I refused, Shin Ara looked troubled and spoke.

“Hmm, I suppose this was too thoughtless of me… Then how about this? I prepared another one.”

Saying that, Shin Ara dragged the suitcase over this time.

It was an enormous bag, as if she were planning a long trip abroad.

Shin Ara spoke with a shy expression.

“I prepared something I thought you’d like, but I’m not sure if it will suit your taste.”

Was this also filled with cash?

Given its size, it looked like it could hold several billion won.

“Open it, quickly.”

Shin Ara kept urging me from beside.

The one giving the gift seemed more excited than the recipient, like a child.

I had no particular interest in whatever gift it was, but if I tried to leave now, she would likely grab hold of me and not let go.

I grabbed the zipper of the suitcase and pulled it down.

As the zipper came down with a jiiik sound, Shin Ara chattered away.

“I heard you have a Fortune Stealing Special Ability, so I prepared this specially.”

The zipper came all the way down, revealing the contents.

I froze for a moment at the sight of the ‘gift’ inside.

What filled the suitcase was neither money nor items.

A person whose mouth was sealed with tape stared back at me, eyes wide with terror.

Beside me, Shin Ara spoke in a shy voice.

“One of our sect members. He betrayed us, and I was about to dispose of him. Then I heard about your Special Ability and set him aside.”

Shin Ara crouched down beside me and met my eyes.

She smiled softly and said.

“I hope you like it.”