Chapter 73: Shin Soo-jeong (2)
KWA-KWA—Fwaat!
The fiercely spinning blue dungeon gate rapidly shrank and, in an instant, collapsed into a single point before vanishing completely.
Only after watching the scene did one of the hunters finally break into a smile and speak.
“Thank you so much for coming all this way to support our raid.”
A middle-aged man spoke in English tinged with a distinct Middle Eastern accent.
It was Abdel Rashad, Vice President of the Egyptian Awakener Association.
In response to his thanks, a woman nearly 170 cm tall replied brightly.
“It’s my job—what’s there to thank? Call me anytime if you need help again!”
Her cheerful voice and casual wave brought an involuntary smile to the man’s face.
“Haha. Seeing Master Shin often is nice for me, but it might not be so good for Egypt.”
The woman was none other than the Guild Master of Crystal Guild—Shin Soo-jeong.
Even with minimal makeup and a natural, bare face, she couldn’t hide her beauty.
Tall, with a slender and graceful figure—she looked like a model.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle everything.”
“I’ve heard the rumors—Master Shin’s passion for raids is unstoppable.”
This was Abdel’s first time meeting Shin Soo-jeong in person, but as a globally famous figure, he had heard plenty about her.
She led the World Dungeon Control Organization under the International Awakener Federation, traveling the world to assist with dungeons that were difficult to clear locally.
She demanded no compensation for her clears—operating solely on the Federation’s salary and donations.
Traveling the globe to tackle high-risk dungeons would be exhausting both physically and mentally, yet Shin Soo-jeong rarely showed any sign of fatigue.
In fact, she actively sought out dungeons in need of support.
She tended to visit underdeveloped countries where high-grade Awakened were scarce and infrastructure was poor.
As a result, politicians and hunters in those nations went out of their way to build rapport with her.
Abdel had been chatting casually with Shin Soo-jeong to build that connection when his watch vibrated.
“Ah, it’s the Association President. Looks like the Federation assembly in Korea has wrapped up.”
He confirmed the caller and spoke.
“Time flew by, huh? You must have wanted to attend the assembly too, Vice President. Sorry if I kept you from going.”
Abdel immediately waved off her apology.
“No need to apologize at all. A sudden assembly can’t compare to a raid schedule with Master Shin.”
“Thank you. Shouldn’t you take the call from the President?”
“Haha, if it’s a conversation with Master Shin, he’ll understand. Are you planning to leave right away?”
“I came all the way to Egypt—I thought I’d do a little sightseeing first.”
“Excellent idea. Our hunters know the area well and can help. Then I’ll head back first.”
“You worked hard today.”
Abdel left for the association headquarters to take the call and handle cleanup.
Shin Soo-jeong remained behind with the hunters who had joined the raid.
They consisted of members from the World Dungeon Control Organization and hunters from Egypt’s major guild, ‘Ra.’
“What’s our next schedule, and where?”
Shin Soo-jeong asked Im Jae-ho, a hunter from both the Control Organization and Crystal Guild.
“We need to be in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, by 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s plenty of time. We can sightsee a bit and catch a night flight.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll book the flights.”
Since Vice Guild Master Jeong Yeon-jun remained stationed in Korea, Im Jae-ho usually handled overseas coordination.
Shin Soo-jeong glanced around and asked the Ra Guild hunters,
“If we head up this path, it leads to the Valley of the Kings, right?”
“Yes. It’s Luxor’s most famous historical site.”
An Egyptian hunter answered.
When she first came here for a raid, Shin Soo-jeong had felt nothing special.
Just barren rock mountains and endless desert sand.
Her focus had been solely on the raid—nothing else registered.
But after clearing the dungeon and releasing the built-up stress, she finally started noticing her surroundings.
“Anyone want to do something other than tour the ruins?”
She asked the Control Organization hunters.
They included not only fellow Crystal Guild members but hunters from various countries.
“I’m tired—I’ll rest for a bit.”
“I’m hungry.”
The hunters working with her spoke freely without hesitation.
She never enforced strict discipline or forced unity outside of raids, which made such openness possible.
“Alright. Everyone handle your own business and meet at the airport by 9 p.m.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The six Control Organization hunters dispersed.
That left eight people including Shin Soo-jeong and Im Jae-ho.
The Ra Guild hunters had mostly left as well—only one remained.
“I was born in Luxor and majored in history at university.”
The Ra hunter said.
“Then… would you mind showing us around?”
“Of course. Follow me.”
The Ra hunter stepped forward willingly.
The group headed toward the Valley of the Kings.
Thanks to dungeon raid restrictions, no tourists or civilians were visible nearby.
“The Valley of the Kings is a massive tomb complex—not just for pharaohs, but also for royalty and high officials.”
After the Great Cataclysm, Egypt’s regime had changed, and the new government placed great emphasis on protecting ancient relics.
Dungeons that appeared in the desert were sometimes left alone and turned into contaminated zones, but those near historical sites were always cleared without fail.
The dungeon that had formed right beside the Valley of the Kings was no exception.
It had been a high-risk 1st-grade dungeon, which was why the World Dungeon Control Organization had been called in for support.
“So far, 65 tombs have been identified, but scholars believe there are still undiscovered ones.”
“I could probably send mana through and search for it.”
Shin Soo-jeong muttered after hearing the hunter’s explanation.
Of course, it would require an immense amount of mana and extremely precise control.
Simply flowing mana outward was one thing—using it as extensions of her eyes, ears, and hands was an entirely different level of mastery.
For someone who had reached the pinnacle even among 1st-grades like her, it was worth attempting.
The group continued moving while listening to various explanations.
“This is the famous tomb of Tutankhamun. Would you like to go inside?”
“Oh, yes! In the tomb…”
Shin Soo-jeong’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she began to speak—only to suddenly stop.
An ominous premonition washed over her, and she focused intently on the surrounding air currents.
A damp, stale wind blew in from somewhere.
The faint stench of decay rode the breeze.
Having smelled the odor of corpses countless times, she identified it instantly.
But more than that, the subtle malevolent energy mixed in the air pricked at her skin.
This was undoubtedly black mana.
Seeing the change in Shin Soo-jeong’s expression, Im Jae-ho immediately sensed the danger and barked an order.
“Everyone, prepare for combat.”
The hunters drew their weapons and raised their mana without hesitation.
The very next moment—
RUMBLE… BOOM!
The ground split open, and pale, cloth-wrapped hands burst upward from the earth.
“Mummies…?”
The Ra Guild hunter doubted his own eyes.
Mummies wrapped in filthy bandages rose one by one from beneath the soil.
“Monsters? Gate outburst?”
“No way.”
Even the World Dungeon Control Organization hunters looked bewildered by the sudden appearance of the mummies.
A gate outburst could cause monsters to spill out, but there were no gates nearby.
And of all things, mummies—exactly the kind one might expect from an underground tomb like this—made the situation feel eerily coincidental.
Instead of attacking immediately, Shin Soo-jeong turned to the Ra hunter.
“If we destroy these, would it count as damaging cultural relics?”
“……”
The Ra hunter’s face showed clear hesitation, unsure how to respond.
Shin Soo-jeong flashed a playful grin.
“Just kidding—don’t worry about it.”
“Ah…”
She sometimes made offbeat remarks even during raids.
It was her usual way of loosening a tense atmosphere and opening up conversation.
“First, let’s subdue them and then figure out why mummies appeared here, okay?”
“That sounds best.”
The Ra hunter replied with a light smile.
There were over twenty mummies, but the hunters gathered here were mostly 2nd to 3rd grade.
Subduing them shouldn’t be too difficult—or so they thought.
Tadadad—
The youngest and most hot-blooded hunters from the Control Organization charged forward first.
Their overflowing passion translated into swift action, yet it wasn’t reckless.
Having coordinated many times before, their movements were perfectly synchronized, no risk of crossing paths.
Just as they closed in on the mummies—
Shin Soo-jeong, watching the battle from behind, suddenly sensed something off about the creatures.
“Grrrrraaaah!”
The bandages wrapping the mummies abruptly unraveled, writhing like tentacles with unnatural freedom.
KWAaaaa—
From the fluttering cloth, black mana-fueled flames erupted outward.
The young hunters who had rushed in reacted quickly, deploying mana barriers.
Ziiing—CRASH! CRACK!
The gaping maw of flame bit straight through the barriers and shattered them in an instant.
“How…?”
At first glance, the mummies hadn’t seemed particularly dangerous.
Their physical abilities were only on par with low-grade dungeon zombies, and their mana output had felt negligible.
But the moment the hidden black mana was unleashed—
An attack far beyond what 2nd- or 3rd-grade hunters could withstand came crashing down.
Dodging was the only option, but they had already closed too much distance.
Just as the black flames were about to engulf them—
SHWAAAT—
A red-clad doll materialized in midair.
KWAaaaaaaa—
The doll drew every last flicker of black flame toward itself.
Like a magnet, the flames spiraled around it in a vortex.
Crackle… sssss…
The doll absorbed all the black flames—and then crumbled into ash, vanishing completely.
Shin Soo-jeong’s ability: ‘Puppet Summon.’
She could summon various types of puppets.
The one she had just used possessed the power to absorb mana-based attacks—but if the absorbed amount exceeded its limit, it would self-destruct.
“GODS, huh.”
Only GODS would possess black mana powerful enough to animate mummies like this.
This wasn’t her first encounter with GODS.
While traveling the world for raids, their paths had crossed occasionally.
But never had she met a villain wielding black mana this potent.
Shin Soo-jeong summoned a black-clad puppet above the mummies’ heads.
Tssss—
As the puppet in midair emitted a blue glow, a bluish mist began to rise in thick, swirling clouds around them.
The fog quickly enveloped the mummies.
KWA-KWA-KWA-BOOM!
A massive mana explosion erupted without warning.
The fragile mummy bodies shattered into countless fragments from the single blast.
“As expected of Master!”
“W-Wait…”
The joy lasted only a moment. The scattered pieces of the mummies began regenerating instantly, returning to their original forms.
“Grrrrraaaah…”
The mummies moved as if the explosion had never happened.
“Haa…”
“This is going to be a headache.”
The hunters pressed their foreheads and sighed heavily.
Shin Soo-jeong immediately realized the key: she had to find whoever—or whatever—was reviving the mummies.
A considerable amount of mana had been poured into their regeneration. She traced the flow.
Black mana was difficult to track unless one knew how to handle it, but—
Sssss…
A faint stream of black mana entered her vision.
It led toward a hidden secret passage between the pharaohs’ tombs.
Yet instead of feeling triumphant, suspicion rose within her.
‘A trap?’
The trail was exposed far too carelessly for the power behind it.
Still, she couldn’t keep fighting endlessly regenerating mummies.
Letting them loose and fleeing toward the city was something she could never allow herself to do.
“Buy time so the mummies can’t escape into the city.”
“Where are you going?”
One of the World Dungeon Control Organization hunters asked.
“I’m going into the trap with Jae-ho.”
***
Tssss—
A black portal appeared in the air above the Pyongyang Contaminated Zone.
Jin-young, who had set out to find the vessel containing the prophet Lyle’s soul, stepped out from the portal.
Following right behind him was one other figure.
A being so covered in Creep that it could hardly be called human anymore—the variant.
The moment the variant set foot on the Creep, his entire body was engulfed by it, completing his full demonic transformation.
Finally, Jacob emerged as well.
Jin-young glanced at the variant and asked; Jacob immediately began translating.
“You can freely travel between contaminated zones around the world?”
“That’s correct.”
According to the tentacles, the variant possessed the ability to move freely through any contaminated zone on Earth.
Since the ability activated wherever Creep existed, they had come to the nearest one: Pyongyang.
“We need to head west for now… Let’s move to the Pakistan Contaminated Zone.”
At Jin-young’s instruction, the variant melted into the Creep and vanished.
『The variant’s movement is complete. Opening the portal.』
Having successfully imprinted on the variant’s mind, the tentacles could now share its vision.
Just like when they had once rescued Jeon Yu-hwan from near-certain death at the hands of Black Society grunts, they could open portals for him as well.
Tssss—
A portal created by the tentacles appeared right in front of Jin-young.
He stepped through together with Jacob.
The toxicity of the Creep here was noticeably harsh—clearly a highly dangerous contaminated zone.
After all, this was the territory inhabited by one of the Four Horsemen of Disaster.
But they were only stopping by to mark the coordinates in advance.
“……”
Jin-young closed both eyes and spread his psionic energy outward in a wide, sweeping wave, extending it as far as possible like a broadcast signal.
He was searching for the residual energy he had left behind in the vessel containing Lyle’s soul.
As time passed, the echo of that energy grew fainter and fainter.
Still—thanks to the much shorter distance now—the location was steadily becoming clearer.
Shsssss…
Psionic energy swirled around his entire body before finally converging.
At last, Jin-young opened his eyes.
“Further west from here… Egypt.”
At those words, the variant reacted immediately.
“I will move to the contaminated zone in the Egyptian desert.”