Chapter 38: Skirmish (2)
Ma Du-hwan succeeded in smuggling himself into Gochang County, Jeollabuk-do, by boat.
He had come alone without any support personnel, yet there was no trace of anxiety or nervousness on his face.
Instead, it overflowed with composure.
The moment he disembarked, he contacted the Dark Horse executives scattered across the country.
Not all of them—just the most loyal and strongest ones.
Six executives gathered in Gochang after receiving his summons.
“Welcome, Boss.”
As the executives bowed in greeting, Ma Du-hwan nodded and spoke.
“You’ve all worked hard keeping your heads down while I was gone. But from now on, there’s no need for that anymore.”
At Ma Du-hwan’s words, the executives’ eyes sparkled.
Until now, Dark Horse had developed and distributed Black Rose to facilitate integration into GODS and had cooperated with Min Hae-joon.
But with Min Hae-joon’s death, they had thought all their plans had collapsed.
There was no doubt he had returned with GODS’s support from China.
Ma Du-hwan continued.
“First, we start by taking over the Black Society. I’ve heard the rising President Jeong has been expanding his influence lately.”
“He recently established a new branch in Daegu and opened a black market there.”
“Kkhuhu, Daegu? Daring to touch my hometown? The bastard’s lost all fear. Looks like we’ll have to make this big.”
Ma Du-hwan recalled the words of Zhu Meiling, Dragon Head of the Red Flower Society.
Kill anyone who refuses to submit.
The Red Flower Society intended to devour the Black Society and seize Korea’s black markets.
But it was unlikely they were doing all this just to take over the black market business.
Ma Du-hwan was curious about Zhu Meiling’s hidden intentions, but now wasn’t the time to dig into that.
To resume activities in Korea, he had no choice but to follow her orders.
‘If this operation succeeds, I might even earn Godfather’s trust.’
To achieve that, he needed to show bolder action.
Shin Soo-jeong wouldn’t get involved in fights between villains anyway.
The Association and Intelligence Department would likely be focused on intelligence from China.
This was the perfect moment for a flashy return.
Ma Du-hwan took out a small glass vial given to him by Zhu Meiling.
The red liquid swirling inside was ‘Bloody Rose.’
Developed by the Red Flower Society, it was the original version of the Black Rose that Dark Horse distributed.
Unlike Black Rose, which had been tested even on ordinary people, Bloody Rose was designed for high-grade Awakeners and had a much higher concentration of black mana.
As a result, its effects were greatly amplified, and recent refinements had significantly reduced the side effects.
For a 2nd-grade like Ma Du-hwan, taking it would temporarily grant combat power close to 1st-grade.
Considering that it normally took at least ten 2nd-grades to face a single 1st-grade, the efficiency was absurd.
Of course, the stronger the effect, the more fatal even a slight overdose would be.
Since it wasn’t a product released on the market, there wasn’t much to take anyway.
Zhu Meiling had specially prepared it for this operation, so he couldn’t afford to waste it.
Ma Du-hwan distributed one vial of Bloody Rose to each executive.
“This is…”
The executives who recognized Bloody Rose widened their eyes.
“If an enemy appears that you can’t handle, take it.”
“Understood, Boss.”
Ma Du-hwan kept one vial for himself as well.
If the Association or Intelligence Department intervened, he would need it.
“Gather the organization members. Tomorrow morning, we raid the Black Society headquarters. Immediately afterward, we head straight to the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone.”
“Yes, Boss!”
At Ma Du-hwan’s command, the executives scattered to rally their subordinates.
***
Ding—
Chae Jin-young stepped out of the elevator into the underground secret research lab.
Passing by the researchers, he entered the director’s office.
“Oh! Come in, Agent Psycho.”
Director Kim Jeong-moon greeted Chae Jin-young warmly.
“How’s it been lately?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been enjoying myself quite a bit researching GODS’s artifacts.”
Kim Jeong-moon genuinely looked delighted.
“The GODS artifacts are quite different, aren’t they?”
“Exactly. Normal artifacts aren’t affected by the wearer’s mana, but GODS artifacts increase in effectiveness when mana is injected. The problem is that ordinary mana doesn’t work.”
“Black mana is required.”
Kim Jeong-moon nodded with a dark expression at Chae Jin-young’s words.
“That’s why we’re developing artifacts based on the GODS ones that can amplify effects with regular mana injection. Commercialization will take some time, though.”
“How far along is the contaminated zone protective gear?”
“Ah, that one’s almost done. It benefited greatly from the GODS artifact too. I’m really curious how exactly it neutralizes Creep toxicity…”
As Kim Jeong-moon’s explanation started to drag on, Chae Jin-young cut in appropriately.
“How’s Eun Ji-eun doing these days?”
“Oh, you mean Ji-eun? We’re still researching the red mana, but there’s been no real progress, so we’re struggling. Still, she’s been coming to the lab consistently and helping us out.”
“Did she come today too?”
“Yes. In exchange for helping with our research, we’re also helping her. She said she wants to build up her strength as a Hunter.”
Chae Jin-young tilted his head curiously.
“Is there someone in the lab who can help with that?”
“Of course. More precisely, an Intelligence Department secret agent is assisting her. You probably know him—the Executor.”
“Ah, the senior who worked missions with Advisor sunbae. I heard he was still recovering.”
Chae Jin-young briefly recalled the Executor.
After the black tentacles absorbed his polluted mana—along with his original mana—his mana hadn’t recovered at all.
That was the last he’d heard about him.
He hadn’t expected the man to be guiding Eun Ji-eun here.
“The Executor was once a training instructor for the Intelligence Department. He’s been on leave for a long time due to injury.”
“Can I meet him now?”
“For anyone else, maybe not—but for Agent Psycho? Of course. Follow me.”
Chae Jin-young followed Kim Jeong-moon to the training area.
Deep inside the secret research lab, they reached a room where every wall was pitch black.
“This is a special training room made from refined black steel. It’s virtually indestructible.”
“It definitely looks sturdier than reinforced glass.”
The special training room was a solid block of black steel with no windows at all—gloomy to the point of being almost sinister.
But Kim Jeong-moon, who prioritized practicality over aesthetics, seemed very pleased with it.
“If black steel were cheaper, it would’ve been perfect. This thing ate up a huge chunk of the budget.”
He muttered regretfully and pressed the bell beside the training room door.
Beeeep—
Soon, the massive black steel door opened, revealing a man.
It was Hong Jun-su, secret agent of the Intelligence Department—the Executor.
“Long time no see, Executor sunbae.”
“You’re… the junior who saved me in the Byeonsan Contaminated Zone. I didn’t get the chance to thank you properly back then. Thank you, truly.”
Hong Jun-su bowed his head in greeting.
Since he had been mentally unstable after being eroded by Creep, he hadn’t had the opportunity to express gratitude to Chae Jin-young.
“How’s your body?”
At Chae Jin-young’s question, Hong Jun-su gave a bitter smile.
“My condition is perfect. The only problem is that my mana still hasn’t recovered…”
The black tentacles had absorbed all of Hong Jun-su’s polluted mana—along with his original mana.
Because of that, his depleted mana hadn’t recovered even now.
“We’ve tried everything: mana potions, mana stones, even borrowing artifact power… but nothing worked.”
Kim Jeong-moon spoke in a regretful tone.
This was the first time they had encountered a case where no method worked, so even the secret research lab was deeply troubled.
“Still, I haven’t given up hope yet. I can still sense mana, and my physical abilities are intact.”
“That’s good to hear. If your body’s fine even without mana, that’s enough.”
The Executor, Hong Jun-su, was a close-combat Hunter specializing in swords. Mana would of course make him stronger, but his physical abilities alone were exceptional.
He was skilled enough to hold his own against Dolsae even when the latter used Berserk.
Yet despite that, Hong Jun-su seemed unable to return to duty due to his obsession with mana.
From Chae Jin-young’s perspective, though, he looked ready to return immediately.
‘In Renard, there were knights who sprayed sword energy without a single drop of mana.’
While the two were talking, a woman approached from deeper inside the training room.
It was Eun Ji-eun.
Compared to when he first saw her, her life seemed to have stabilized—her skin was now pale and smooth.
With her long straight hair tied into twin tails, she looked so different he almost mistook her for someone else.
“Ah! Agent-nim!”
Her personality had brightened too. The moment she saw Chae Jin-young, she waved enthusiastically.
“Your face looks much better now.”
“Huh? Ah… everyone’s been taking good care of me. Thanks to Teacher here, I’ve learned a lot about being a Hunter too.”
Eun Ji-eun smiled brightly as she spoke.
Seeing her like this, Chae Jin-young instinctively realized that the same catastrophe from the pre-regression timeline would never happen again.
She seemed to suit being a Hunter surprisingly well.
‘In that case, it should be fine to start pushing her a little…’
Until now, he had stayed quiet because her unstable mentality and emotional wounds had been the top priority.
But after scanning her with psionic energy, he saw that she was now quite stable both mentally and physically.
‘I should create an opportunity.’
Her talent was beyond question—back when she went berserk, she had frozen an entire city.
Now she was filled with self-motivation to improve, making her an ideal asset.
“Is red mana still hard to control?”
At Chae Jin-young’s question, Eun Ji-eun hesitated. Hong Jun-su answered in her place.
“She still lacks control over the amount of mana released. But she’s trained enough to use the ability according to her will.”
That meant the ice ability no longer activated from simple stimuli.
However, lack of control over release volume also meant the output of her unique ability was unpredictable.
In the previous timeline, the incident that turned Daejeon into an ice age might have been an accident caused by that very lack of control.
Chae Jin-young stared at Eun Ji-eun for a moment before speaking.
“Have you ever used your ice ability in actual combat?”
“Uh… no?”
Eun Ji-eun shook her head. Hong Jun-su continued.
“We thought it was still too early for her to enter dungeons or contaminated zones, so we’ve only been doing training.”
“There are times when real combat is more helpful than training. She’s ready now.”
Hong Jun-su knew the importance of real experience, but given Eun Ji-eun’s characteristics, he believed control came first.
Seeing her pupils shake violently at Chae Jin-young’s single word “ready,” it was clear she wasn’t prepared yet.
Regardless, Chae Jin-young stroked his chin and muttered.
“Hmm… where would be a good place to get some experience…”
He had no intention of personally taking charge of Eun Ji-eun’s training right now, but he thought one real combat experience would be beneficial in advance.
Especially for controlling something mentally—the sharper that sense became, the better.
Just then—
Biiiii—
An alarm sounded from Chae Jin-young’s watch.
When he checked the message, the corner of his mouth curved upward.
“Perfect timing. A volunteer just showed up.”
***
“S-Sir! Big trouble!”
“What is it so early in the morning?”
President Jeong grumbled irritably as he opened his eyes at his subordinate’s panicked shout.
“A-An attack…”
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
Before the subordinate could finish, a tremendous explosion roared from outside the building.
President Jeong shot upright at the sound.
“What the hell? Did that lunatic come back again?”
“N-No, sir! It’s Dark Horse!”
“Dark Horse?”
President Jeong tilted his head at the unexpected answer.
He had expected Dark Horse to resume activities eventually.
On the condition that Ma Du-hwan returned.
“Ma Du-hwan’s back?”
“I-It seems so, sir!”
“Damn it. Immediately call an emergency mee—no, wait.”
As he stood up, a sudden good idea occurred to President Jeong.
“First, tell everyone not to get slaughtered by Dark Horse and to retreat immediately. Then gather everyone in front of the main gate.”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinate rushed off, and President Jeong fiddled with his smartphone before looking out the window.
Dark Horse organization members were smashing through the high perimeter wall and pouring in.
Even a rough count put their numbers in the hundreds.
“These insane bastards.”
President Jeong left the bedroom immediately, tapping rapidly on his phone.
Kwaaaang!
Explosions continued to roar from outside, making his face twist.
But it quickly relaxed into a wide grin.
The thought of what was about to happen brought a smile to his face.
After passing through the corridor and descending the stairs, President Jeong stepped outside the headquarters.
Most of the organization members had already gathered in front of the main gate.
Beyond the wide garden, Dark Horse was advancing—destroying automated turrets and trampling over the corpses of fallen members.
At their forefront stood a familiar man wielding a greatsword.
Dark Horse’s boss, Ma Du-hwan.
Ma Du-hwan, who had been marching forward, spotted President Jeong and flashed a wicked smile.
“Hey, President Jeong. Been doing well while I was gone?”
“Ma Du-hwan, you son of a bitch! Perfect timing—I’ve been looking for you.”
President Jeong’s sudden outburst made Ma Du-hwan let out a scoff.
“Ha… President Jeong, looks like someone drilled a hole in your head while I was away. Forgot who I am?”
“Forget? You bastard! I went through hell trying to find you. And you come walking right into my hands. Thanks, asshole!”
“……?”
Ma Du-hwan faltered at President Jeong’s unusual demeanor.
No matter how much backing he had from Yoon Soo-ho, there was no way Yoon Soo-ho could be here right now.
By this time, a delegation from the China Awakener Association should have already arrived in Incheon.
So what exactly was he relying on to act so boldly?
“Scared?”
At the follow-up taunt, Ma Du-hwan raised his greatsword.
“Looks like I should start by taking your head.”
Just as he was about to step forward—
Tzzzt—
A black portal opened, and a man and woman emerged.
The man wore a black suit.
The woman wore a white t-shirt and jeans.
Ma Du-hwan tensed at the unexpected variables.
But they were complete strangers.
“Who the hell are you?”
The man didn’t answer Ma Du-hwan’s question. Instead, he turned to the woman and said,
“Ji-eun. See those black bastards over there? Go freeze them.”
“M-Me…?”
Eun Ji-eun spoke with a face full of fear.
She was still too scared to push her way through a crowd of burly men.
This was exactly why real combat mattered.
“Those guys are Dark Horse.”
“Dark Horse…”
“Your parents’ enemies.”
At Chae Jin-young’s words, Eun Ji-eun’s eyes changed in an instant.
Tzzzt-tz-tz—
Red mana poured from her body, sparking intensely.
“What the…?”
Ma Du-hwan’s eyes widened at the sight of Eun Ji-eun’s red mana.
Chae Jin-young didn’t miss the change in his expression.
“You. We’ll talk later.”
For now, Chae Jin-young lifted Eun Ji-eun into the air with psychokinesis.
“Go.”
He sent her flying above the heads of Dark Horse.
“What the hell is that…?”
“Stop her now!”
At Ma Du-hwan’s shout, the stunned organization members released their mana.
Swoosh—
A blue barrier unfolded overhead.
In that instant—
Kwa-tz-tz-tz-tz!
The red mana bursting from Eun Ji-eun transformed into pure white frost.
The air froze instantly, and sharp ice spikes formed.
Crack-crack-crack-crash!
The mana barrier shattered helplessly.
“Wai—”
Hundreds of organization members stood frozen—arms raised, mouths open—turned into ice statues.
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