Position Change
Sejin Guild office, a dingy corner.
Seira, Dark, and Kancho stood side by side, staring straight ahead.
People were flying through the air.
With broken teeth or noses gushing blood, not a single one of them in decent shape.
"Seira. The guild master is scary, you know."
"Yeah."
"Kick! It's straightforward and refreshing—what's there to complain about?"
It didn't look like it was their turn to step in yet.
The Sejin Guild wasn't without players.
It was just that, even on the 29th floor, there was no one worth comparing to Jinhyeok, who had a 100% synchronization rate.
"He just beat up Grandpa again, you know."
"If you've committed a crime, you have to face the punishment."
"As expected, the guild master is fair to everyone, you know!"
Splat!
A burly man, kicked square in the face, came flying toward Seira.
The man spotted them and scowled.
"What the hell are you...?"
Crack!
Without a flicker of expression, Seira stomped down on his face.
Kancho picked up a broom and stared at the limp man.
"How dare you charge at the guild master! You deserve to die, you know!"
Even though he was already out cold, Kancho beat him mercilessly.
In a way, passing out might have been a blessing.
From the man's perspective, it would look like the broom was swinging down from thin air.
"Hoo."
Jinhyeok, having knocked down the last one, looked down at Sejin Guild leader Kim Geonman.
Kim Geonman flinched and stumbled backward.
'W-what the hell is this guy?'
He glanced at the sprawled guild members.
There were players among them, yet they'd gone down so easily.
In contrast, Jinhyeok's face was pristine.
He hadn't allowed a single attack to land.
'And who the fuck are those foreigners over there!!'
He glared at Seira and Dark, standing by the door in masks and hats.
He was already pissed from getting beaten, and now they were just giggling and watching like it was a show.
Normally, he'd have yelled his head off, but right now, he couldn't muster it.
Step.
"D-don't come any closer! I'll call the cops! Wait, you're a player, aren't you!? I'll report your ass to the Hunter Agency right now!"
As Jinhyeok shrugged with a whatever-you-say expression.
Momo, who had been hopping around the room, tugged at Jinhyeok's arm.
"Master. Over here."
Kim Geonman, mid-dial on his phone, freaked out.
"W-wait a second!"
It was too late—Jinhyeok didn't stop.
He pulled away what Momo was pointing at, revealing a small metal safe.
Jinhyeok turned to Kim Geonman.
He didn't look like he'd volunteer the code anytime soon.
"Seira."
Seira approached and reached for the safe's handle.
Seeing this, Kim Geonman smirked inwardly.
'Go ahead and yank all you want. Like it'll open.'
It was crude-looking, but made of the same steel used in military trucks.
It wouldn't budge even if dropped from an apartment rooftop... Creak.
Kim Geonman's jaw dropped.
Seira effortlessly ripped the door right off.
Jinhyeok pulled out the contents.
Bundles of 50,000-won bills and several USB drives.
He plugged one into the computer on the desk.
Files named after merchant associations affiliated with the Sejin Guild.
Clicking one released a voice.
What would low-floor players know? If we say it's that price, then that's the price.Understood. We'll adjust the supply and match the price right away.
It seemed they'd recorded their secret cartel talks as insurance.
A middle-aged man, sprawled on the floor, pushed himself up.
"T-that's my voice...?"
They called it a guild for convenience, but unable to trust each other, they'd prepared insurance on top of insurance.
"You're not going to report it?"
For some reason, Jinhyeok asked Kim Geonman, whose hands had frozen.
Kim Geonman bit his lip, trembling.
As if he could report it.
The moment this spread, the Sejin Guild would be done for—straight to hell.
Jinhyeok raised his voice, making sure everyone heard.
"By the way, this USB has every merchant association in the Sejin Guild. Besides the recordings, there are documents too—probably leverage they planned to use if things went south."
The merchants, now regaining their senses, glared at Kim Geonman.
A group formed for mutual financial gain.
It would crumble in an instant from the tiniest crack.
"I'll be taking this."
"Why should you get to...!"
"You tried to use force first, so I just returned the favor. And switch your association's spot with the ones partnered with Guild Leader's merchant group—as soon as possible. If not, these files go public on every site."
With that ultimatum, Jinhyeok turned to leave.
Seira and Dark, Momo followed behind.
Kancho, still cloaked in stealth, tossed the broom aside and joined them.
"Huuuu."
Exiting the guild office, Jinhyeok wiped the sweat from his brow.
He'd stormed in to settle a grudge and given them a good thrashing.
But since it was his first time pulling something like this, his heart was pounding.
Dark slung an arm over Jinhyeok's shoulder.
"Our master's got some real guts, huh?"
"It's a good thing from our perspective. If Master hadn't handled it, we'd have killed those guys who came chasing."
"Next time, I'll blow the whole office sky-high, you know!"
Kancho cackled like a maniac.
Getting beaten was definitely better than vanishing without a trace in an explosion.
"Since we're at the market, should we grab something on the way back?"
"Sounds good, you know!"
"I'm craving the pork hocks from last time."
"I want tteokbokki."
Momo tugged at his arm too.
"Ice cream."
Jinhyeok smiled and headed toward the market.
He'd have to buy a ton of whatever caught their eye.
That evening.
The Sejin Guild came knocking at Yeon Merchant Association.
Yoo Suyeon, about to force out an insincere greeting, covered her mouth.
The people who'd been fine just that afternoon were now a battered mess.
'What the hell happened...?'
She didn't ask if they were okay.
She wasn't naive enough to worry about people who'd treated her maliciously up to now.
Kim Geonman, leaning on a crutch, stepped forward.
Half his face was a swollen bruise, and he was missing at least four or five visible teeth.
"Get ready to move. We'll swap spots with you. Come to where my shop is."
Even hearing it directly, it didn't compute.
The spot with Kim Geonman's association was the prime real estate in the Dongdaemun market.
That's why he'd clung to it tooth and nail for decades, and now he was handing it over?
Something big had clearly gone down.
"Understood."
She didn't refuse or ask why.
Yoo Jinhyeok, who'd visited that afternoon.
This was undoubtedly his doing.
He'd gone out of his way to serve it up on a platter—if she didn't accept, she wouldn't have the face to look at him.
Crunch.
Kim Geonman, who'd secretly hoped Suyeon would refuse, squeezed his eyes shut.
Meanwhile, the merchants behind him bowed their heads one by one.
"S-sorry about all this time. The guild leader made me do it—I had no choice."
"What are you...!"
Kim Geonman, about to shout, swallowed dryly.
Eyes full of distrust bored into him.
One more word, and they'd probably beat him as a group.
Yoo Suyeon adjusted her glasses.
"I'll prepare the move tonight and relocate first thing tomorrow morning. Please clear out your shop."
"T-tomorrow's impossible! There's so much to pack..."
"I travel light. I'll be there tomorrow morning. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's closing time."
The merchants offered their apologies one by one before leaving.
Kim Geonman, unable to join them, hung his head and turned last.
He couldn't defy those words.
Jinhyeok held the leash.
"Hah!"
Once Kim Geonman was gone, she collapsed onto the sofa.
The tension drained from her legs.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, Yoo Suyeon pinched her cheek.
"...It hurts."
It was the first time in her life.
The first time she'd ever been glad it hurt.
"Suyeon."
"Huh? Grandpa!"
Oh Jaegap entered through the entrance.
He was in the same Dongdaemun market but rarely visited.
"How was the customer I introduced you to today?"
A bright smile lit up Yoo Suyeon's face.
"He did me a huge favor on day one. Thank you, Grandpa."
"Good."
Oh Jaegap eyed the stack of ogre hides in the corner.
"Then make sure to buy them at good prices from now on."
"I'll do my best. But isn't Jinhyeok one of your regulars, Grandpa?"
"It's fine. I do well enough without that guy. Alright, I'm off."
"Stay for dinner at least."
"I already ate. Just stopping by on my way."
Oh Jaegap waved coolly and left the shop.
As he walked slowly, he glanced at something.
'The Honor Scroll Runner lives up to the name—insurance on top of insurance.'
A pleased smile on his face, Oh Jaegap vanished into the market.
And just moments before, on the rooftop of the building Oh Jaegap had glanced at.
"Huh?"
Dark set down the pork hock he'd been tearing into.
Under Jinhyeok's orders, he'd been keeping watch over Yeon Merchant Association.
He lifted the corner of his mouth in amusement at where Oh Jaegap had disappeared.
"Interesting neighborhood."
He chuckled and nodded, then dove back into the pork hocks.
Bought straight from the market, they tasted way better than last time.
Old Town officetel.
"What are you doing, you know!! We have to take out that airplane first!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"No, I said destroy the airplane—why are you smashing the car we're in, you know!"
Kancho and Momo were glued to the TV like it was sucking them in.
In their hands were the new gaming consoles.
Jinhyeok had bought them so they'd have something to do while he and Seira trained.
'Good call buying these.'
Seeing them enjoy it so much made him feel proud.
Jinhyeok turned his head and checked the tower site.
Something to look into before heading to the 30th floor tomorrow.
That's when a hot post caught his eye.
Lately, all the hot posts had been about Jinhyeok breaking Honor Scroll records, but this was a rare different one.
And ironically, this post was about Jinhyeok too.
Hello. This is Player Jo Gangtae.
Lately, there've been a ton of posts comparing me to the Honor Scroll Runner.
Who's the top rookie, who's the rising star, who would win if we fought, and so on.
Questions that can't be settled unless the Honor Scroll Runner and I meet in person.
So, to ease the curiosity of my fans and the site users, I've made a decision.
With respect and sincerity, I request this.
Honor Scroll Runner, I believe you're a player too, so you're probably seeing this post.
Stop hiding behind anonymity and show yourself.
And prove it.
I'm ready.
If you're not scared, if you have any pride.
Don't dodge—reach out.
'Wow.'
Jinhyeok whistled after reading the post.
With stuff like this popping up, his popularity must be soaring.
Click.
Without a change in expression, he hit the X and closed the post.
He didn't have time to play along with this nonsense.
The boss on the 30th floor, which only appeared after meeting certain conditions.
He needed to dig up info on that thing.
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T/N:
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