Post Hammurabi ☆1
In the outskirts of Seoul, a spacious warehouse stood next to a large greenhouse complex, where a forklift busily moved around, stacking goods. A young man with gray hair got off his bicycle at the entrance of the warehouse.
"Um… excuse me. Is this… by any chance—"
"Ah, welcome. Could you wait a moment? I'll be done shortly."
The man driving the forklift waved at the young man, welcoming him.
"Hmm. Well then…"
The young man, Seohyun, parked his bicycle and looked around the warehouse. It was fairly large, surrounded by greenhouses growing flowers or vegetables. The population density was low, but just beyond this area ran a busy suburban highway.
It looked like a normal agricultural or light industrial warehouse—a space near a major city that quickly met urban demand. However, rumors said this place was also a hub for trading all kinds of weapons, firearms, and even human or vampire bloodlines.
While Seohyun looked around, the man who had gotten off the forklift approached, wiping his hands with a towel.
"Welcome. You must be the friend sent by Arjuna. Seohyun, right?"
"Yes."
"Call me Kenneth Yang."
The man spoke to Seohyun with a smile, his silver eyebrow piercing catching the eye.
"Thanks for coming to help. Ms. Kim Seong-hee highly recommended you. Hmm-hmm."
His friendly demeanor could be considered warm, but for Seohyun, such a personality was a bit tricky.
"Well… it's fine. I don't need to be overly grateful. But by the way, is it true that the Black Network is an under-organization of vampires?"
Seohyun asked Kenneth Yang directly. It might have been rude to ask a stranger such a question. Kenneth Yang raised an eyebrow briefly at the straightforward inquiry.
"Oh, not at all. There's only Beokduseong-gun among the Cheongbang executives. Our faction is separate from hers. The Black Network started from Cheongbang, but it's a completely independent organization."
Beokduseong-gun, a Chinese vampire, had lived among folk religious groups and Chinese mafia organizations. Kenneth Yang didn't deny her affiliation with Cheongbang, but he firmly denied that he or the Black Network were under her influence.
"The Black Network provides services indiscriminately—whether Cheongbang, triads, yakuza, Japanese Red Army, or the Burmese military and drug lords. You could call it a philanthropic group, devoted to humanity, if you will."
"...."
Humanity? That seems like a strange term for smuggling or illegal immigration. Seohyun was genuinely curious. But more importantly, he needed to know:
How could the Black Network remain independent from its founders or vampires?
"Is that even possible? It must have taken a lot of money and manpower to build the organization. Smuggling and immigration routes are basically gold mines of black money. Why would anyone share such a painstakingly developed gold mine?"
Criminal organizations often fought over smuggling routes or even turned them in to authorities rather than share them. So why did the Black Network's distribution network survive? How could it claim independence while keeping vampires as executives?
"Ah… there are political reasons I can't explain. As you know, the situation in Northeast Asia was extremely difficult during and after the Cold War. Someone had to maintain this regardless of faction, ideology, or amount of money."
Before the Cold War ended, during extreme ideological conflicts, many had to leave their hometowns. At that time, the Black Network helped people escape purely for money, transcending ideology and faction.
"They were active when an incident triggered by a nation's internet censorship caused countless people to flee abroad. That's the kind of experienced organization we are. Amateur smugglers or drug dealers couldn't touch our routes."
"I see. Hmm. That explains it, I guess."
Kim Seong-hee had told Seohyun that if he helped Kenneth Yang, the head of the Korean branch of the Black Network, he could quickly gain trust among vampire hunters.
"So, you said there's something you want me to do? How can I help?"
Seohyun knocked on a box and sat on it. Kenneth Yang shrugged.
"You're really going to help me?"
"Of course. You said you have influence in this underworld, right? If helping you increases my credibility, naturally I'll do it. Of course, I'll receive fair compensation."
"Hmm. Compensation, huh… that's certainly needed."
Kenneth Yang glanced at the bicycle Seohyun had arrived on. It was an old bike standing at the warehouse entrance. Considering Seohyun's physical ability, it was a good means of transport—it could maneuver faster through the city than cars if sturdy enough. But this bike looked like one salvaged from the street, barely functional.
"So, what's the job? The Black Network seems untouchable. Are you asking me to kill cops or soldiers?"
"No, nothing like that. My request is trivial… very wholesome, actually."
Before Seohyun could respond, he heard a familiar, heavy sound of a motorcycle engine approaching the warehouse.
☆ ☆ ☆
Next to Seohyun's old bike, a sleek road bike appeared. The rider got off, removed his helmet, and wore a displeased expression.
"Must be a joke."
The biker showed no effort to hide his annoyance at seeing Seohyun. Half of it might be intentional, but it was unpleasant to look at.
"Seems so."
Seohyun could only mimic a displeased expression. Han Se-geon, the second Jinma hunter in history, the strongest vampire hunter who killed a Jinma vampire with a human body, had arrived.
Given their werewolf–vampire hunter rivalry, it wouldn't be surprising if they opened fire on each other. But Han Se-geon wanted the destruction of the entire Moonlight, so there was no reason for conflict. Seohyun, also following his sister Serin's request, had no reason to fight.
But there was even less reason to get along.
"What are you thinking wandering around Korea? You wolf. Why don't you just continue massacring child soldiers and living a trashy life like usual? Why come meddling in Arjuna and show up here too?"
Han Se-geon verbally attacked Seohyun, who growled back.
"Fine, I lived a trashy life. But you… did you get wanted by Interpol for living neatly?"
At that moment, Kenneth Yang intervened, welcoming Se-geon.
"Oh. Welcome, Se-geon. I was waiting for you anyway."
"What?"
Both Seohyun and Se-geon were surprised. Waiting? So both were needed for this task?
"I couldn't assign this to just one person," Kenneth said.
"Wait, so you're asking me to work with him?"
Seohyun confirmed, and Kenneth Yang nodded.
"So it seems."
How could this be? What immense task required both Seohyun and Han Se-geon? Seohyun considered himself a top-tier mercenary, capable of the effect of hiring an entire private military company. And yet, this task required both of them? Was it related to the vampire society or the assassins who had sought him before?
"Must be a joke."
Han Se-geon shrugged.
"I won't deny that guy is competent. But for something I can't handle alone, I don't think he'll help much."
Despite his hostility toward Seohyun, Se-geon had to acknowledge Seohyun's ability. But calling him in because he couldn't do it alone was humiliating.
"What's the job, then?"
"Ah, well… I owe someone a favor. I want both of you to help me with that."
"Owe a favor?"
Kenneth Yang, a Black Network executive, had once withdrawn from Korea when vampire activity became unbearable. Not due to lack of organization or force, but because Korea had become a hell for vampires.
Three Jinma—Jeokyo, Changun, and Jinya—had died in Korea. Many vampires came from around the world to claim their legacy, turning Korea into a nightmare. Kenneth Yang had to retreat, but the Black Network had eliminated many vampire hunters by then. If he owed someone a favor, that person would be influential in the vampire hunter society.
"So he called both Seohyun and Han Se-geon? Hmm… this must be important. Completing it will boost my credibility."
Working part-time at Arjuna wasn't bad. Dealing with difficult customers was annoying, but there were interesting ones too. Most importantly, the experience of working diligently was new to Seohyun. Despite surviving countless battles, this was the first time he did ordinary, honest work with pride.
But enjoying that diligence was a secondary concern. With the mysterious vampire challenging Tetra Anax and the curse bound to Han Se-geon evolving into a Lilith-like entity, enjoying an ordinary life seemed impossible.
He needed to quickly gain credibility among vampire hunters and establish influence.
"So…,"
Kenneth Yang, having summoned Seohyun and Han Se-geon, wore a meaningful expression.