Chapter 132 – Unlucky Boy (1)

When he opened his eyes, he was in a hospital room.

Lucky Boy, Lee Han-seong, didn’t know why he was lying in a hospital bed.

Or perhaps, he simply didn’t want to think about it.

Both of his legs and his right arm were fractured, and his entire body was covered in bruises.

The news that Lee Han-seong, who had never once been injured in any battle, was hospitalized drew intense media attention.

‘I lost?’

Lee Han-seong belatedly recalled his defeat at the hands of Lee Hyunbin.

No, it was more than just a loss.

His opponent had been toying with him.

Just then, the door to the private suite opened.

Outside, Guarders from the Agency were blocking anyone who came sniffing around unnecessarily.

Lee Han-seong frowned.

The Director of the Agency, Shin Chae-ho, had come to visit.

“Hmm, I’ve received the report.”

“…”

*Drip, drip.*

The sound of fluid dripping from the IV in Lee Han-seong’s arm briefly soothed the silence.

“I’m a bit baffled. What happened?”

When Director Shin Chae-ho said he was baffled, he didn’t mean he was surprised that Lee Han-seong had caused trouble.

After all, it wasn’t the first or second time Lee Han-seong had done so.

However, he never expected the man who had eagerly gone out to hunt down a Villain would end up hospitalized as a critical patient just a few hours later.

“Was the Villain that strong?”

“Of course not.”

His pride was wounded, but he had no choice but to tell the truth.

The Villains he’d targeted were the greenest of rookies.

So much so that it was boring.

Thanks to catching those small-fry who couldn’t even put up a proper fight, he had become so agitated that he’d ended up targeting civilians as well.

Even if he killed a civilian, it would just be written off as an ‘accident caused by a Villain.’

But then, an unexpected person had appeared.

The deliveryman, Lee Hyunbin.

An S-Rank Hunter from the Hanul Guild, a special Guarder like himself, and someone he had considered to be at least a step below him.

“I was taken down by your hunting dog, Director.”

“By him?”

The Director sat on the chair opposite Lee Han-seong’s bed. He crossed his legs and placed his clasped hands on his knee.

He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. The wrinkles around his mouth were so faint it was impossible to tell if he was smiling or angry.

“That video. When was it from?”

“That video? Ah, the dragon hunt. It wasn’t that long ago.”

“That was only a few months ago…?”

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Lee Han-seong’s pupils tremble with agitation, the Director grew even more curious.

Lee Han-seong, who had always been arrogant and caustic, was now afraid of something.

“That’s impossible. There’s no way that was just a few months ago.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He’s completely different. From back then.”

“Different?”

“Yes.”

Lee Han-seong said through gritted teeth.

“He was definitely hiding his true strength back then. He’s a completely different person from what he showed in the video.”

The Director tapped his knee with his finger.

“Well, now.”

He didn’t know whether to believe it or not.

It was only six months ago.

Back then, Lee Hyunbin wasn’t even a proper Hunter.

But in those six months, he had continued to achieve incredible feats.

Thanks to that, international interest in Lee Hyunbin was now exploding.

At first, he was described merely as a porter with the highest inventory count in Korea, and then news broke that he was the world’s first S-Rank Supporter.

Now, Lee Hyunbin was receiving attention from all over the world.

The United States, China—they were all working behind the scenes to scout Lee Hyunbin.

It was understandable. The footage of the dragon hunt that made him famous was more than enough to send shivers down people’s spines.

And he was hiding his strength even then?

Shin Chae-ho found it utterly absurd.

“Alright, what about next time? If you two were to fight again?”

“If we fight again, if you just get me my exclusive gear… No, I need more Talismans. If you implant stronger abilities, more abilities into my body…”

Talismans.

Crystals of power, condensed from the mana stones of otherworlders.

So much blood had been shed to obtain them.

Lee Han-seong, Lucky Boy, had Talismans embedded in his body.

They allowed him to possess more abilities and amplify his power.

That was why Lee Han-seong wanted more power, more support.

But he quickly fell silent.

Fight Lee Hyunbin again?

He couldn’t win.

It was impossible.

Lee Han-seong had moved with utter confidence, intending to put him in his place.

He had planned to max out the power of his Talismans and overwhelm Lee Hyunbin.

But the situation had been completely reversed.

Even after unleashing the power of his Talismans, he was no match for him.

-Hmm, seems you’re not a fan of the American style. Let’s just do this my way.

After saying something incomprehensible, Lee Hyunbin had simply begun to beat him, one-sidedly.

His tone was playful, but his eyes were cold and devoid of warmth.

Lee Han-seong had felt it several times.

He was going to die.

-Plea… stah… save me…

Lee Han-seong ground his teeth.

He had begged Lee Hyunbin for his life.

-The people you killed probably said the same thing.

With those words, Lee Hyunbin had brutally broken his arms and legs.

So that he could never use them again.

“Are you alright?”

The Director’s voice pulled Lee Han-seong from his thoughts.

He looked down at his left arm, the only part of him that was unharmed.

The image of Lee Hyunbin saying he’d leave him a hand for wiping himself came to mind.

Lee Han-seong began to tremble.

He clenched and unclenched his fist, trying to stop his arm from shaking.

The trembling didn’t stop.

The distinct killing intent felt like a dagger embedded in him, impossible to remove.

If the special forces hadn’t opened the door, he would have surely been beaten to death right there.

“I’d like to rest for a bit.”

“Alright… Rest well, and don’t worry about a thing.”

Despite the Director’s comforting words, Lee Han-seong just stared blankly out the window.

The Director found this new side of Lee Han-seong hard to get used to.

“Let’s go.”

As the Director left the hospital room, his agents followed behind him.

A crowd of reporters was swarming the hospital entrance.

“Director Shin Chae-ho, we’ve heard that Lucky Boy was injured so severely that he’ll need physical therapy. Is this true?”

“There are testimonies that Lucky Boy tried to kill a civilian. Is that true?”

“Can you explain the unnecessary civilian casualties that occurred during Lee Han-seong’s Villain subjugation?”

Reporters thrust their microphones forward, desperately throwing out questions to get a single soundbite.

The Director paused in front of his car. Then, with his usual gentle smile, he spoke.

“I am well aware of your concerns and worries. As always, we will investigate without a shadow of a doubt and release an official statement. I ask that you please refrain from tarnishing the arduous efforts of our heroes, who work tirelessly day and night to protect our citizens, with unnecessary worry and concern.”

With that perfunctory statement, the Director departed.

The reporters, looking disappointed, moved on in search of their next story.

A rather interesting narrative had emerged this time, so they weren’t about to let their prey go easily.

Inside the car, the Director asked his driver.

“Hmm. That fellow, Lee Hyunbin. Do you know what he’s up to?”

“He’s at the Hanul Guild, training, sir.”

“Is that so? Even after such a huge incident, he’s doing the same thing as always.”

Hearing the driver’s words, the Director hummed a tune as he gazed out the car window.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Come now. What’s there to be happy about when a cherished subordinate of mine has been incapacitated?”

“I’ve been your driver for over twenty years, Director.”

“Yes, that’s right. I can fool a ghost, but not you, Driver Kim.”

The Director let out a hearty laugh.

Lee Han-seong was finished.

His physical injuries could be healed. And the recovery potions made from mana stones were quite effective.

But the confidence of the ever-self-assured Lee Han-seong had been completely shattered.

It would take a long time for him to overcome that trauma.

“Now, let’s see just how much patriotism our dear Lee Hyunbin has.”

Lee Han-seong was a madman.

He had a desire to wield violence with his remarkable power, and the Director had let him do as he pleased. Once his urges were satisfied, he was relatively docile and obedient.

Lee Han-seong was a very powerful card to have, but he was a double-edged sword.

His inability to hide his murderous instincts and his repeated, unnecessary killings were a problem.

And there was a limit to how long they could keep silencing people.

Compared to him, Lee Hyunbin was in a different league.

If he was strong enough to easily subdue Lee Han-seong, one of the country’s top Awakened, then he had more than enough value as a global Hunter.

He might even become a talent comparable to Daniel, the man known as the world’s strongest.

Lee Hyunbin was the polar opposite of Lee Han-seong.

What kind of desire would he need to satisfy for this one?

The Director was pleased that the stock he held in his hand was steadily increasing in value.

He had the skill, the character, and a good reputation. And despite his lack of formal education, his mind seemed sharp.

‘There is just one thing that could be a problem.’

Whether his values would permit utilitarianism.

Of course, it didn’t matter if he was repulsed by it. He could be persuaded over time.

The Lee Hyunbin he envisioned was overflowing with talent, but was still a greenhorn who didn’t yet understand the ways of the world.

In other words, he could easily be molded into one of his own.

* * *

-According to a statement from the Disaster Agency’s spokesperson, it has been belatedly confirmed that Guarder Lucky Boy, Lee Han-seong, has recently been suffering from PTSD.

-PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety disorder caused by a series of traumatic events. As a first-generation Awakened, Guarder Lee Han-seong has fought many battles to protect citizens, and it’s highly likely that he developed a psychological disorder without even realizing it.

-It’s reported that Guarder Lee Han-seong mistook a hostage for an accomplice of the criminal and attacked them, and that Hunter Lee Hyunbin, who happened to be at the scene, intervened. If Hunter Lee Hyunbin hadn’t been there, it could have led to a major loss of life.

-An uncontrolled S-Rank Awakened is like a tactical weapon. We cannot rule out the possibility that many people who failed to evacuate would have been sacrificed.

*CRASH!*

Watching the newsdesk broadcast on TV, Lee Han-seong couldn’t contain his anger and threw an object at the screen.

The shattered TV could no longer display an image. Its screen flickered through a few colors before going dark.

“Fuck! You goddamn bastards!”

Lee Han-seong realized he’d been thrown away.

Any other time, the Director would have shut those bastards up before they could run their mouths. But now they were chattering away on TV as if they were having the time of their lives.

He couldn’t even leave his hospital room.

Guarders were on watch 24 hours a day.

The official reason was simple: to ensure the safety of the hero, Lee Han-seong.

“I was just careless then. Yes, careless.”

Lee Han-seong muttered to himself as he looked out the window.

His reflection in the glass, covered in casts, was a pathetic sight.

He ground his teeth automatically.

“Physical therapy? I don’t need that crap.”

They were saying he’d become a wreck after being thoroughly beaten by Lee Hyunbin.

“If they won’t support me, I’ll forge my own path.”

When he had ventured into the other world, Lee Han-seong had secretly pocketed something.

A Talisman, an entity in which all sorts of magic were concentrated.

The Talisman he had secretly kept was a new type he had never seen before.

“I’ll use it this time.”

He had hesitated because of its overwhelmingly powerful aura. No, he had simply been unwilling to swallow the bitter pill because he had believed without a doubt that he was already the strongest.

But the great Lee Han-seong could not let things end with him being disrespected like this.

Lee Han-seong waited for dawn.

First, he had to get out of this hospital room, go home, and find the Talisman of Darkness.

Lee Han-seong removed the cast from his leg.

Every step felt like his bones would crumble, but the humiliation was harder to bear than the pain.

He bit his lip until it nearly tore and opened the door to his room.

“…?”

He’d expected someone to be guarding the door, but there was no one.

‘Sloppy bastards.’

Lee Han-seong slipped out of the room.

It was the dead of night, so there were few people around.

He managed to hail a taxi that was just arriving at the hospital entrance.

As he settled into the taxi with his aching body, he felt a slight sense of relief.

His body was not in a sound state, and he was drenched in a cold sweat.

Lee Han-seong spoke to the taxi driver.

“Let’s go toward Mangpo-dong.”

But the taxi driver said something strange.

“We’re not going to Mangpo-dong.”

“What the f—”

For a moment, he felt a flash of light.

His entire body felt paralyzed. Then it was as if someone threw him, and his will-less body, like a puppet with its strings cut, plunged into black water.

He was terrified.

As he sank deeper and deeper into the black water, he felt something watching him from the abyss.

“—the hell are you talking about?! *Gasp!*”

He felt his consciousness momentarily slip away.

His lungs, which had stopped for a moment, gasped for air as if catching up.

Lee Han-seong suddenly felt a chill run through his body.

He looked around.

It was a forest, shrouded in the deep gloom of a hazy night.

“…What the.”

He had been in a taxi just a moment ago, but when he blinked, he found himself on the deserted outskirts of the city.