Chapter 52
War on Crime (1)
“Yaaaawn.”
Baek Ah-jin was heading out to meet her friends after finishing her market patrol.
She had gone through quite a bit to collect 13 Universal Runes, so she had also given her staff all the time off they deserved.
Vroooom!
She stepped on the accelerator, and the turbo engine roared.
Since the distance between Samseong-dong and the headquarters was considerable, she had recently bought a car.
A bright red Porsche 911 Turbo.
Even just looking at its beautiful curves, which naturally captivated anyone, Baek Ah-jin couldn’t resist.
Honestly, considering her income, it was also an affordable car.
It only cost a little over 300 million KRW.
Near Hanam City.
A secluded private café.
Her friends were completely losing it.
She wasn’t a chaebol, yet a young woman in her early twenties had a 911?!
“Wow, what’s this?”
“Ah-jiiiiin! You’re insane! Truly, your elite connections aren’t kidding!!”
“Can I take a picture?”
“I want to ride in it later!”
Some of them were genuinely admiring her car.
“So, what are you working on these days?”
“Yeah, you used to always be in the chatroom, now you barely show up.”
“Stop hiding it already, just tell us!”
Some were genuinely curious about her recent life.
“Well…”
Baek Ah-jin decided to be honest.
Since her family was all under Yubaek’s management, there was no need to hide anymore.
She could proudly reveal it.
“I’m working at Yubaek these days.”
“What?”
“Yubaeeeeeek?!”
Her friends shrieked in shock.
Yubaek! The hot new management company with better pay than the top Korean conglomerates, Daeseong (Daeseong)!
And it even managed Korea’s national hero, Baek Jin-woo!
Now, all elites across the country dream of working there.
“Wait, the Yubaek I know?”
“See! Yu Ji-ah’s connections aren’t just for show!”
“Then have you seen Baek Jin-woo? How is he? Handsome?”
Baek Ah-jin frowned at the last question.
‘Handsome? He’s still my brother.’
He had grown a bit more solid physically, but he was still just her brother.
She felt slightly uncomfortable with the idea of calling him handsome.
Of course, her friends didn’t think the same.
“Here, take my business card.”
Words wouldn’t explain it, so she handed out the card she received from Yubaek.
“Wow, what’s with this card?”
“…Gold? Is this really gold?”
“No way…”
It was a plastic card with the name engraved in pure gold.
These weren’t meant to be handed out to just anyone—only to cherished friends.
And it clearly stated her position and name:
[Director, Baek Ah-jin]
“A…Director?”
“Huh? Am I seeing this wrong? No way…”
“Director, not an employee?”
“Does Yubaek even have directors?”
Her friends hurriedly pulled out their phones and checked Yubaek’s official website to verify the board members.
“Crazy!”
“It’s real!”
“And there are only two of them?!”
[CEO, Yu Ji-ah]
[Director, Baek Ah-jin]
“What the heck is going on?”
Her friends demanded an explanation.
‘Alright.’
She had come to the gathering intending to tell them anyway.
Keeping it secret any longer would only cause more misunderstandings, which would be unfair to her friends.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you before. Actually, my brother is Baek Jin-woo.”
A shocking revelation!
Everyone’s jaws dropped.
“Whaaaat?”
“Really?”
“Baek Jin-woo? That national hero is your brother? Not some other guy with the same name?”
That one sentence explained everything.
The flashy sports car.
The connections with Yu Ji-ah.
Being a director at Yubaek.
‘Not just a gold spoon, but a Baek Jin-woo spoon.’
‘So jealous.’
‘But wasn’t your brother in a traffic accident or something?’
It took them some time to process reality.
A brief moment passed.
Baek Ah-jin became the center of everyone’s attention.
Naturally, there were a lot of questions.
Even the prettier girls teased her:
“Miss! Our lovely Baek Ah-jin!”
“What are you saying? She’s mine! Ah-jin, I’ll take care of you, okay?”
Half-joking, half-serious, they even acted flirtatiously.
‘Ugh, what are they doing? Crazy.’
Baek Ah-jin waved her hands in shock, but…
Still, her shoulders lifted slightly—she had to admit, she liked it.
Thanks to having a great brother, she could enjoy these feelings too.
Meanwhile…
“So we just hit her there, right?”
“And upon joining the gang, they’ll put in 100 billion KRW in cash immediately?”
Outside the private café in Hanam City.
Three players stared at the building.
One was a gang member, and the other two were ranked 9th and 10th: O Ji-myeong and Park Ho-seop.
“Yes, ranked players. All you have to do is kidnap Baek Ah-jin. In return, you’ll receive not only 100 billion KRW, but also 10% of all profits generated through Baek Jin-woo in the future.”
The gang’s demand was simple: kidnap Baek Ah-jin.
Then, leave Korea and just maintain knowledge of her identity.
‘Clashing with Baek Jin-woo…’
‘Might be the easier option.’
After long deliberation, the two ranked players accepted.
They could have approached Baek Jin-woo to apologize, but pride got in the way.
‘This seems easier.’
‘Brilliant. Threaten them by kidnapping the family. Why didn’t I think of this?’
‘The debt from the previous hit still needs to be paid.’
Their ribs still ached from the soy sauce strike during the multi-player match.
“What about the others? There seem to be quite a few.”
O Ji-myeong asked.
“They can all die.”
The gang member answered with a sinister smile.
“Wait.”
Ranked 10 Park Ho-seop questioned.
“What will your gang do while we capture Baek Ah-jin?”
A sharp question.
The gang might just follow instructions from behind, retreat if things go wrong, and risk being branded as traitors for touching a national hero.
“Don’t worry. Our gang is fully committed to this operation. Most members on overseas assignments have already entered the country illegally.”
“Ah, then?”
“Yes. Baek Jin-woo’s family isn’t just his sister, right?”
“The gang will target Yubaek?”
“Exactly.”
That was the gang’s goal.
Yubaek housed Yu Ji-ah and Baek Jin-woo’s family.
Moreover, Baek Jin-woo was currently on assignment in Dubai.
The perfect opportunity.
If he were cold enough to not care about his family, the operation would be meaningless—but his actions suggested otherwise.
‘He gifts houses, maintains security for his family. He cares.’
Attacking Yu Ji-ah meant clashing with Daeseong, which was slightly concerning, but unavoidable.
From the gang’s perspective, leaving Baek Jin-woo alone was a bigger headache.
“Good.”
O Ji-myeong nodded.
“Then let’s start.”
Five hours later.
Baek Jin-woo hadn’t eaten a bite or even taken a sip of water.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ramba stacking, the Draco sitting properly by his side.
And…
- Grrr…!
Doldol holding a sickle, staying alert, waiting for Hunkyo.
Finally, when the resummon cooldown was up:
Vwoooom!
He summoned Hunkyo.
“Hunkyo.”
Swish!
Hunkyo appeared in a flash of light, looking perfectly fine.
And the atmosphere was different from before.
[‘Training Instructor’ (EX-Class) has awakened latent abilities.]
[‘Training Instructor’ (EX-Class) base stats have increased.]
[‘Training Instructor’ (EX-Class) has gained new skills.]
Thud.
He knelt before Baek Jin-woo.
- Master… I apologize for causing worry.
“No need for apologies! What happened?”
Baek Jin-woo asked, and Hunkyo’s lips curled slightly.
- It’s a complete success. I feel enormous internal energy in my body.
“Really?”
He checked Hunkyo’s status immediately.
[Summon: Training Instructor]
[Species: Human]
[Rank: EX-Class (Quarantine)]
- Containment due to balance-breaking potential in specific situations.
[Level: 40]
[Stats]
Strength: 100, Intelligence: 100, Vitality: 100, Agility: 100
HP: 50,000, MP: 50,000
Critical Rate: 20%
Critical Damage: 100%
[Skills]
- Growth: Grows through training.
- Charisma: Dominates other summons.
- Instructor: Unlocks potential of other summons and boosts growth rate.
- Resonance Magic: Controls energy at the cost of life.
- Metamorphosis: Transforms body for mastering martial arts using immense internal energy.
‘Wha…what…!’
Baek Jin-woo was shocked.
Resonance Magic, and now Metamorphosis too? And the stats… insane.
This was without even equipping a single rune.
“This guy!”
He had truly changed.
At this level, his stats were comparable to an A or even S-Class summon.
“Wait a second.”
He removed the Universal Rune from Draco and placed it on Hunkyo.
Then:
[Summon: Training Instructor]
[Species: Human]
[Rank: EX-Class (Quarantine)]
- Containment due to balance-breaking potential.
[Level: 40]
[Stats]
Strength: 1,580, Intelligence: 1,580, Vitality: 1,580, Agility: 1,580
HP: 60,000, MP: 50,000
Critical Rate: 80%
Critical Damage: 340%
[Skills]
- Growth: Grows through training.
- Charisma: Dominates other summons.
- Instructor: Unlocks potential of other summons and boosts growth rate.
- Resonance Magic: Controls energy at the cost of life.
- Metamorphosis: Transforms body for mastering martial arts using immense internal energy.
What… what is this monster?!
Stats of 1,580?!
Baek Jin-woo never imagined Hunkyo could have stats like this.
And this was just a semi-graduation rune.
Imagine equipping the Trinity Rune later…
- Master, I feel strength capable of destroying an entire mountain in a single strike.
“That’s nothing.”
Even a city could be flattened in under a minute if he wanted.
“Really, just the Nine-Syllable Pulse?”
- …Yes. Hua Tuo’s knowledge even recorded humans under the Nine-Syllable Pulse as supreme medicine-worthy beings.
“Alright, I admit it.”
Baek Jin-woo nodded.
“This Universal Rune—and the Trinity Rune you’ll get later—are all yours. Priority equipment.”
Hunkyo’s eyes lit up.
- Thank you, Master!
He had been recognized.
A main position as his master’s sword was promised.
All previous pain seemed to vanish from Hunkyo’s mind.
“Phew.”
Baek Jin-woo exhaled happily.
Everything went smoothly.
He got the Universal Rune, and Hunkyo had awakened.
Now it was time to return to Korea.
Probably, all the flight arrangements had already been made.
The only problem?
Growl.
“Haha, I’m hungry.”
- Master… haven’t you eaten yet?
“You were just forcibly recalled in that state, how could food go down your throat?”
Ugh.
Even he felt embarrassed saying it, but it was true.
“First, let’s eat. Draco, Ramba too.”
There was still a feast prepared by Jasim.
Enough food for all four of them!
Of course, there were also luxurious cream buns made by a professional chef.
- Great! Let’s eat!!
Excited, Ramba flew around the air.
