“Me?”

“Yes. If you, Mr. Kangrim, created a sect, I’d want to join.”

Founding a sect — it wasn’t a proposal that particularly appealed to me.

Enemies were already popping up everywhere as it was. If I became a sect leader, everyone around me would just become a target too.

But the others seemed to think differently.

“Master, me too! I want to join the sect you make too.”

“Some other sect told me they’d give me a huge signing bonus… but if you make a sect, Master, I’ll join for free!”

The way everyone’s eyes lit up was honestly a bit overwhelming.

I couldn’t just let these people scatter to different sects, but me starting one felt wrong too.

“It might be better for Ms. Shin Sooa to found a sect instead.”

“Hmm. But you’re stronger than I am, Mr. Kangrim.”

“My reputation is too poor for that.”

I was known as both a skilled fighter and a killer.

Besides, when I checked the community forums today, there were already quite a few posts badmouthing me.

– Seo Kangrim is completely insane. I heard he trashed the Asura Sect’s place for no reason and left.

– Didn’t he frame Sung Uigyeol and send him to prison too?

– No, he got released. But why has Sung Uigyeol been so quiet lately?

– I heard he retired and is taking a break.

– You don’t think Sung Uigyeol is being threatened by Seo Kangrim, do you?

A tangled mess of rumors, the gossip was steadily growing in size and morphing into new shapes.

At my words, the others began to hesitate.

“It’s true there’s been a lot of trash talk about you online, brother…”

“That’s just because Master is strong, so people are biting at him for no reason! It’s like celebrity hate comments!”

“Either way, my image is bad. It’s better for Ms. Shin Sooa to be the sect leader.”

Being unaffiliated was better for me in many ways.

As we ate breakfast, the group continued discussing the sect’s establishment and their future direction.

Near the end of the meal, my phone began to vibrate quietly.

I checked — it was Kang Dohyun.

Had he finally found something out?

“Then I’ll step away for a moment.”

I immediately returned to my room and answered the call.

A brusque voice came through the receiver.

“[Too slow. Pick up faster.]”

“That was me picking up as fast as I could. What’s going on?”

“[I have things to discuss. Come to my house. You don’t have plans this afternoon, do you?]”

If he was calling me all the way to his house to talk, it must be something fairly important.

I’d have to clear my schedule even if I had plans.

I told him I’d head over right away, then left the hotel immediately.

Even as I exited the hotel, I could feel several people glancing my way.

Having my face recognized wasn’t exactly a good thing.

I’d need to be more careful about being seen from now on.

Making an effort not to draw attention, I headed to Kang Dohyun’s house.

My second time visiting Kang Dohyun’s home.

Even though he had invited me, I couldn’t easily bring myself to step inside.

This house still felt awkward to me.

Even though it had been my home ten years ago.

As I stood there hesitating, the front gate opened.

“Why are you standing there like an idiot? Come in.”

Kang Dohyun stepped out, speaking gruffly.

Today he wasn’t wearing a suit but a modernized hanbok.

Was he on leave?

“I didn’t expect you to invite me to your house, brother.”

“Then where else would we meet?”

“Fair point.”

Truthfully, Kang Dohyun’s house was about the only place where we could talk freely.

Messages and calls carried the risk of being intercepted.

But inviting him to my hotel meant too many watching eyes.

Coming here myself was the safest option by comparison.

“Sit.”

He said, gesturing toward the sofa with his chin.

Once I sat down, Kang Dohyun looked me up and down before speaking.

“You lunatic. How did you clear a Great Demon Realm in a single day? The Bureau is in an uproar.”

“What’s the atmosphere like over there?”

“Everyone’s talking about nothing but you. Team Leader Princess was practically dying to bring you in.”

Of course — Team Leader Princess had been planning to recruit me into her team.

Kang Dohyun spoke as if scolding me.

“The community forums are buzzing too. How did you get tangled up with Sung Uigyeol?”

“One thing led to another. It’s a bit of a headache. Even at the hotel, there are quite a few people who recognize me.”

“You’re still staying at the hotel?”

“Yeah. I need to stay with the others.”

The hotel had its conveniences, but standing out too much was also a fact.

Finding a new place wouldn’t be bad, but I was worried about being separated from my companions.

I needed to stay close enough to respond immediately if they were threatened.

“Is the hotel food any good?”

“Of course it’s good.”

“Still can’t beat a home-cooked meal.”

Saying that, Kang Dohyun disappeared into the kitchen.

He naturally began setting the table.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? I’ll put out some side dishes I had lying around, so eat up for now.”

So saying, he proceeded to bring out enough food to make the table legs buckle.

The spread looked like something you’d only see on holidays.

Heaping plates of braised short ribs, japchae, boiled chicken, various seasoned vegetables, and pancakes…

“Side dishes you had lying around?”

“Yep.”

Anyone could see it was a lie, but I didn’t want to argue, so I kept my mouth shut.

I’d known Kang Dohyun was a good cook from before, so it would probably taste good too.

But I wasn’t in the mood to eat.

I’d only just finished breakfast, and there was more important business to attend to.

“I’d rather hear what you found out first.”

I’d obtained the important items, but I was still anxious.

However, Kang Dohyun spoke in a calm, unbothered voice.

“Eat while you listen. How are you going to fight when you’re skin and bones like that?”

Kang Dohyun was probably the only person in the world who’d call me skin and bones.

I gave up trying to persuade him and slowly began eating.

In my past life too, he never let me leave without eating a proper meal.

As I gave in and started eating, Kang Dohyun kept up a steady stream of nagging.

“What, you finished the soup already? I’ll get you more.”

“Eat more meat. You have no color in your face. You’re going to clear demon realms looking like that?”

“I picked these vegetables from the mountain myself. Completely different from the pesticide-grown ones.”

Anyone watching would have thought he was preparing for a village festival.

It took ages, but I finally managed to empty the plates. Only then did Kang Dohyun seem ready to talk.

He spoke while peeling apples and pears.

“First, I did some digging within the Bureau.”

Kang Dohyun handed me a thin stack of documents.

As I skimmed through them, he continued his explanation.

“I managed to get my hands on the roster of Bureau Death Messengers, but there was no one named Baekyoung or anyone with a similar face.”

“Possibility of omissions?”

“There is. I couldn’t check the records of team leaders, directors, or other branch offices.”

Kang Dohyun said with evident dissatisfaction.

“If my rank were a bit higher, I could have.”

True — at Kang Dohyun’s current position, even conducting an investigation would come with many constraints.

Still, it was better-quality information than anything I could obtain on my own.

“I did find a photo of the Bureau Director from when the Bureau was established, though. Check the next page.”

A photo of the Bureau Director?

Surprised by the unexpected information, I hurriedly turned to the next page.

But when I saw the photo, my excitement quickly faded.

“…This person is the Bureau Director?”

The woman in the photo was elderly.

Aside from her white hair and gender, she appeared to have nothing in common with Baekyoung.

I stared at the photo in silence before speaking.

“Is it possible someone else posed as the Bureau Director for this photo?”

“That’s highly likely. This was information even a low-ranking Death Messenger like me could access.”

Information obtained too easily was inherently less trustworthy.

I hadn’t learned much about Baekyoung, but I didn’t mind.

I hadn’t expected to find out everything right away to begin with.

Right now, other matters were more important.

“What about the Holy Grace Cult?”

“I looked into them properly.”

So saying, he set down another stack of documents with a thud.

It was incomparably thicker than the file on the Bureau Director.

As I flipped through the pages, I confirmed it was the same Holy Grace Cult I’d known about.

“Thank you, brother.”

“Don’t mention it. It wasn’t much trouble.”

I’d confirmed the information on the Holy Grace Cult and verified the facility’s location.

As I rose from my seat, he spoke urgently.

“Wait, I have more to give you.”

More to give?

As I looked at him in puzzlement, Kang Dohyun hurriedly disappeared into the back of the kitchen.

He returned carrying a plate piled high with rice cakes.

He spoke with a stern expression.

“At least finish dessert before you go.”

* * *

A large van was making its way up a quiet mountain road.

The passengers wore faces filled with eager anticipation, as if they were going on a picnic.

The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, studying the back seat before speaking.

“You’re visiting for the first time today, aren’t you? Your name was Kim Jeneung, right?”

At the question, the man sitting in the back suddenly looked up.

Unlike the others, there was something distinctly anxious about him.

“Ah, yes…”

“Since you’re coming to the Holy Grace Cult, I take it you’re an unawakened person too.”

“That’s right, I suppose.”

Kim Jeneung replied in a somewhat self-deprecating tone.

Hearing the answer, the driver chuckled as if it were no big deal.

There was an inexplicable ease about him.

“How did you find out about this place?”

“I saw a post online… um, by the way,”

Kim Jeneung glanced to the side with anxious eyes.

“Is it true that if you join the Holy Grace Cult, they’ll awaken your Fortune Window?”

After the Day of Awakening.

People had begun living vastly different lives depending on whether their Fortune Window had awakened and their Fate Rank.

Among them, those who suffered the greatest disadvantages were obvious.

The ordinary citizens who remained unawakened.

‘Damn it, the world is unfair.’

Kim Jeneung was one of those people.

The world had changed, but he himself had not.

He had been certain that he too would develop a special ability, that he could become a hunter…

‘With the money I had, I couldn’t awaken my Fortune Window.’

He had applied for the Fate Protection Bureau’s Fortune Awakening event but was rejected.

There was also the option of paying a large sum to a private company to awaken one’s Fortune Window, but that was impossible too.

Because he didn’t have enough money.

Then one day, while drowning in despair.

Kim Jeneung stumbled upon a certain post.

[Do you want to live a new life? Do you want to awaken your Fortune Window?]

Seeing that title, Kim Jeneung clicked on the post without even thinking.

What followed beneath was enough to tempt him.

[If you join the Holy Grace Cult, we will awaken your Fortune Window.]