These were not injuries from a fall or an accident. Someone had attacked the grandmother. She realized this the moment she saw the injuries.
âCould it be, that man just nowâŠâ
Drip, drip. Blood soaked the floor.
She had to get the grandmother to the hospital as quickly as possible. Time was of the essence.
âGrandma, Iâm going to call an ambulance nowâŠâ
âHurry⊠runâŠâ
âHuh?â
The grandmother moved her dry lips, but her voice was too weak and trembling to be heard clearly.
âYou shouldnât speak anymore. Your wounds might open up. Hold on to me!â
After helping the grandmother up and trying to leave, a pungent smell suddenly spread.
ââŠHuh?â
Crackle.
A burning piece of paper flew in from outside.
The floor was already drenched with gasoline. The flame quickly grew, burning the items in the workshop and instantly blocking the exit.
Someone had set the fire.
Her heart pounded even more fiercely. The fire rose rapidly, and smoke began to fill the room.
If they didnât get out quickly, they might suffocate.
ââŠUgh!â
She tried to approach to extinguish the fire but had to retreat due to the intense heat.
This time, she tried pouring tap water from a bucket onto the flames. It seemed to subside for a moment, but then burned even more fiercely.
What should I do?
There was no time to waste. It would be better to douse herself in water, carry the grandmother, and get out.
âGrandma, please wait a moment!â
She filled the bucket with tap water again and poured it over her head. The cold sensation was quickly erased by the heat.
âUghâŠâ
The flames grew even more intense.
At that moment, as the heat and the pungent smell made her head spin, the air felt heavy.
Though she was standing in the same place, it felt like a completely different space.
A wide net of light spread above her head.
She had seen such a net before. Where was it�
Yes, when she went to the tutorial dungeon with Ki Yu-hyun.
The scene that followed was so mysterious that it was hard to believe even with her own eyes. Fine particles of light appeared in the air, forming a net that descended over the flames, and the fire disappeared instantly.
It was as if the fire had vanished completely.
The red flames, the pungent smoke, and the heat that burned her cheeks. After the net was gone, it was as if the fire had never existed. Only the soot remained as a reminder of the flames.
[Achievement: Avoided the Second Death Crisis
Congratulations.
You have successfully avoided a death crisis.
Cherish life.
Reward: 1 Random Skill Point]
Almost simultaneously, a strange system notification appeared.
âLee Eul!â
Ki Yu-hyun ran in through the charred and collapsed entrance.
His dark eyes showed a slight relief upon seeing me, who had fallen to the ground.
Now Iâm safe.
At that moment, seeing his face, I felt so relieved that I almost burst into tears.
âWhat happened? Are you okay?â
The fire was out, but the grandmother was still unconscious. I swallowed my tears and said,
âYu-hyun, the grandmother isâŠ.â
* * *
Failure.
He had failed again.
Ji Joon forced his trembling legs to move.
He could see the workshop engulfed in flames from a distance. Fear grew, and his entire body began to tremble like a leaf. The flames behind him seemed to be chasing him.
Ji Joon, who had run to a place where the fire was hidden by the darkness, collapsed. He propped himself up with his weak hands and muttered,
âIt wasnât meâŠ.â
I didnât do it.
I didnât kill that grandmother.
But who would believe him? The grandmother was alreadyâŠ.
Ji Joon tried to take out his phone from his pocket, but his trembling fingers wouldnât move properly.
âI didnât do itâŠ.â
No one was there to hear his low muttering.
In exchange for joining <C&L Corporation>, Chairman Lee Se-in had set one condition.
To obtain a ring with a red stone from a certain hunter.
He said it didnât matter how much money it cost. He even said that illegal means could be used if necessary.
Ji Joon initially thought it would be an easy job.
The hunter world is a place of the strong preying on the weak. Even if he forcibly took the ring from his opponent, it would be the weaker oneâs fault.
However, he was greatly surprised when he found out the opponent was an old woman.
She was a small, frail grandmother who would fall over if he just brushed past her.
Ji Joon, who had resolved to do whatever it took to succeed as a hunter, was not ruthless enough to threaten an old woman with force.
âI know who sent you.â
The grandmother didnât seem surprised when she saw Ji Joon with his sword. Instead, she calmly brought out a hot barley tea and said,
âThe ring youâre looking for has already been delivered to its rightful owner.â
âUgh⊠I donât care about the owner! Give me the ring!â
âThatâs impossible. Instead, I can give you one of the items here. Can you leave now?â
âWho would come here for such a trivial item?â
âThey are all my own creations.â
âHmm, hmm! Then show me. âŠIf itâs a good item, I might take it!â
Unable to intimidate the grandmother, he tried to get a decent item and leave.
Thud!
Suddenly, a thug appeared from behind and swung a knife.
A disturbing sound of flesh being cut was heard. The knife stabbed the grandmotherâs stomach in an instant, and the thug fled. Ji Joon was so shocked that he couldnât even breathe.
âGrandma, are you okay? Just, just wait a moment. D, Damn it!â
Thinking he had to catch the culprit, Ji Joon stumbled out the door.
The thug was already gone, but as a C-rank hunter, he could easily catch up. Such a wicked person couldnât be forgiven.
However, as he chased after the thug, a spark flew from somewhere and set the workshop on fire.
âOh, noâŠ.â
The fire quickly spread, blocking the entrance to the workshop.
Seeing this, fear surged within him.
The thug was long gone, leaving him alone.
If he stayed, he would be blamed as the culprit. No, he couldnât. He had planned to succeed and become a successful hunter this time, and he couldnât take the blame for murder.
Driven by fear, Ji Joon fled from in front of the workshop.
But his conscience eventually held him back. Every time he thought of the grandmotherâs pale face, his steps grew heavier, and he finally collapsed on the ground.
Ji Joon, panting, muttered,
I am Ji Joon. I changed my common birth name to this one to become the supreme hunter.
Itâs impossible to run away out of fear of being framed.
He finally managed to hold his phone. Ji Joon tried to suppress his trembling and input the numbers on the screen. Sweat poured down, making his fingers slip.
âUgh, 1, 1, 9âŠ.â
Right then.
Thud!
âAaaah!â
A person who appeared on the opposite side of the alley stepped on Ji Joonâs hand holding the phone. The force was so strong that even with his C-rank hunter strength, he couldnât shake it off.
Crack!
The phone screen shattered under the shoe. His own face, distorted with pain and fear, was reflected in the black screen. His right hand felt broken. Ji Joon, holding his right hand crushed under the shoe, cautiously lifted his head.
An unexpected person was looking down at him.
âYou, youâŠ.â
It was the secretary who had guided him when he met the chairman of <C&L Corporation>. A very beautiful but ambiguous person in terms of age and gender.
Her name was Lee On.
Wait, did she look like this?
Was she this terrifying?
Ji Joon, meeting the secretaryâs eyes, was startled. Her eyes, which emitted a strange light, didnât seem human. They were as strange as if blue-tinted fake gems had been inserted.
He felt a chill run down his spine.
The secretary then slightly smiled and moved her lips. Her tone was soft, but her voice was cold and intimidating.
âDisappointing.â
âY, YesâŠ?â
âThe chairman is very disappointed. To fail such a simple task. What must the chairman think of trusting a supreme hunter?â
âY, You⊠You didnât⊠kill that grandmother, did you?â
His tongue, frozen with fear, wouldnât move properly.
âDonât worry. Even if a supreme hunter fails, I handled it well. Itâs fortunate that the weather is clear. The news said that dry conditions make it easy for small sparks to turn into big fires.â
âBut the grandmother⊠How could youâŠ?â
âIâve already explained. The current top-ranked hunter will betray humanity, and the ring is needed to stop him.â
The secretary bent her knee and sat on the ground.
Ji Joon, startled, tried to back away, but the secretaryâs foot was faster.
âAah! Ow!â
His hand, pressed under the shoe, hurt.
Ignoring his scream, the secretary calmly took out her phone and extended it to him.
Not understanding the meaning, he just blinked, and the secretary smiled. It was a terrifying smile.
âIf the supreme hunter really feels guilty, you can report it. Yes, you canât do bad things to an old grandmother.â
âŠSwallow.
âBut do you know? The weapon that stabbed the grandmother will be found at the scene.â
âWhat⊠What do you meanâŠ?â
âA while ago, the chairman gave a weapon to the supreme hunter. Where is the knife the supreme hunter used to use?â
Ji Joon, understanding the secretaryâs meaning, turned pale.
He had given his old knife, which he had used and inscribed with his name, to the secretary in front of him, thinking it would be disposed of at <Hunter Market>.
He had clearly seen the thug attack the grandmother. But if the thug was sent by <C&L>, and if the thug used his old weapon?
Reporting it would mean he would be blamed as the culprit.
âUgh, if I tell everything about <C&L>âŠ.â
âIs there any evidence?â
âEvidence? Thereâs plenty of it!â
âYou didnât sign a contract with us.â
âWhat⊠What do you meanâŠ?â
The secretary spoke calmly, as if reading from a book.
âThe supreme hunter is unrelated to our company. However, we regret not recognizing such a ruthless hunter. We will be more careful in recruiting talent for the future development of the hunter industry.â
ââŠâ
ââŠThatâs how it will end.â
As if to drive the point home, the secretary added,
âThe family of the supreme hunter are all ordinary people.â
ââŠâ
âYou must be worried. Itâs a dangerous world with cracks and monsters. Anything can happen.â
ââŠHic.â
Thud. Finally, Ji Joon dropped his phone.
âDonât worry. The chairman still trusts the supreme hunter. You can do better next time.â