Chapter 81   - Phantom Opens His Eyes #3

The guards standing outside the smoking boiler room were afraid to move.

"Someone go in and check it out!”

"There’s too much smoke to go in!”

"If the oil catches on fire then we’ll all die!”

The chief, who was responsible for managing the security guards, raised his voice. However, he couldn’t think of a plausible solution. One of the guards stammered out,

"C-Chief. Wouldn’t it be better to report it to the Fire Department?”

The chief’s face distorted.

"What did you just say? Do you know how complicated it would become if firefighters came here? They would go everywhere like cockroaches. We aren’t playing house right now!”

The security guard trembled. What would happen if it was known that they were trafficking body organs here?

Most of the directors and members belonged to the Chinese mafia. Even if they were caught, there were many avenues of escape. What would happen to the guards who did their dirty work? These days, scapegoats were always necessary. His death would be disguised as a suicide after confessing to all of the crimes.

The smoke coming from the boiler room was literally horrible. Just breathing in a little of it would cause water to leak out from their bodies.

"Fuck, what type of fire would cause smoke like this?”

It was the special product of the army but the chief of the bodyguards were unaware of this fact.

"This will stop any toxic gases.”

One smart security guard dipped water on a towel to create a gas mask. The chief’s expression brightened.

“Really? Then go inside and check where the fire is coming from. Others will go into the building and get the fire extinguishers. I think we can put out the fire between us.”

"I-I am going inside?”

"Then should I be going in?”

"Ah, no.”

In the end, the security guard who made the gas mask was forced to enter. He didn’t have the guts to refuse the command. He blocked his mouth and nose with the towel and boldly ran into the smoke.

"Cough... Cough!”

However, it wasn’t enough to stop all of the teargas. The chief clicked his tongue as he heard the guard coughing painfully.

"If you are going to make it then you should do it properly.”

How much time passed? The black smoke was coming out of a large drum. The amazing thing was that no matter how much he looked, the smoke really was coming from the drum barrel.

"Here it is. This is the source of the smoke... Cough! Cough!”

The chief looked at what the security guard brought out.

“Then it wasn’t a fire...?”

Several guards blocked their mouths and looked at the drum and the hidden trick was found.

"I don’t think it’s poison gas. It feels like somebody mixed a smoke bomb with something else.

“Who the hell did th...”

At that moment, something popped into the chief’s head.

“...Wait a minute. Who’s left inside the building now?”

“It was an urgent situation so I think most of our forces are here.”

The face of the chief distorted after hearing the answer and pulled out the gun hanging from his waist.

“It seems like we fell into a trap. The hostages are in danger.”

The armed security guards entered the building.

The time spent was exactly 10 minutes, like Tae-hyuk predicted.

@

"It should be time for the guards to come back.”

Soo-bin’s face paled as she heard Phantom’s words.

"W-What should we do? Everybody can’t move properly...”

Soo-bin looked at the condition of the rescued children. All of them had lost a body part and couldn’t move properly. There were only four people who were saved.

The rest...

Phantom carried a boy missing a leg and said,

"Do you know Second Generation Suffering?”

“Ah...”

Soo-bin understood Phantom’s words.

It was a famous novel. A man who fought in Japan lost his arm and returned home, only for his son to lose his leg to a hand grenade. The two people worried about each other and supported each other with what they were each lacking.

“I marked the escape route on the map. If you follow this then you will be able to get out of the building. Once outside, call the number already registered on this phone and a man will come to save you.”

Kim Soo-bin nodded. Suddenly, she realized that Phantom was missing from the escape plan.

“Phantom won’t be escaping?”

"I still have work to do.”

Kim Soo-bin asked,

“Aren’t you here to save us?”

"I told you. You are a bonus.”

Phantom seemed to know what Kim Soo-bin was worried about. She was afraid that they would be caught again when escaping.

Phantom spoke quietly to Soo-bin,

“Don’t worry. I will stop the security guards.”

“T-That’s not...”

Soo-bin tried to say something else but he swiftly turned away. Then she looked at Phantom who was leaving and asked,

"Can I meet you again?”

"That would be hard.”

"That, I would like to reward you for rescuing...”

Phantom laughed,

"I’m sorry but I am expensive. You don’t have enough money to satisfy me.”

"I-I wasn’t planning to give you money. J-Just my sincerity.”

"If there is anything like that then give it to Song Hye-mi. It was that child who moved me.”

“H-Hye-mi?”

Phantom spoke some final words as he headed down to 2B.

"Remember that you are alive because there was someone who wanted to fight against fate. Every single second and every single minute that you are alive is a miracle. So live well, Kim Soo-bin.”

Kim Soo-bin realized that it was the best encouragement that Phantom could give. She was a orphan who no one cared about, and now she was even missing one arm.

But...

She survived. She was breathing. She could hug Hye-mi once again.

Phantom disappeared from in front of her. Tears streamed from Soo-bin’s eyes.

The five kidnapped children survived the hell called T Medical Center.

@

[5]

[You can use the affinity points to enhance crime skills or activate hidden attributes.]

Tae-hyuk looked at the Demon Revealing Mirror. Fortunately, the five children seemed to have made it out unharmed.

‘I have goose bumps... Now that there is no one to hear, I can stop using Voice Modulation.’

He had used Kim Bum-soo’s voice in order to hide his identity. The side effect of speaking with such a dignified tone appeared. Tae-hyuk decided to strengthen his combat ability with the points he just gained.

’There is a bomb but I don’t know what will happen. Wouldn’t it be nice to have insurance?’

Violence. There were a few attributes that could be raised.

He could have the killing intent of a person who fought for their whole lives. There was also having a sixth sense about how the enemy will attack when they were near him. He could deal tremendous power with one strike. Finally, at the end of the fighting, he could see the optimal attack route.

Those were the attributes available with the Violence skill.

Tae-hyuk picked ‘Sixth Sense’ to detect the opponent’s attack.

’It happens to be exactly five points.’

[Crime Skill: Violence has gained a new attribute.]

[’Sixth Sense’, the ability to read your opponent’s attack has been acquired.]

[The range of the Spying skill has increased.]

Tae-hyuk sighed with relief as he safely gained the attribute. The detection range seemed to be around two to three meters.

’Does this mean I will have no rivals in close combat?’

How much stronger would he become if he was a Noble? Tae-hyuk got goosebumps.

‘Well. They are coming.’

A bunch of people running could be seen at the end of the corridor. There was no need to use a skill.

“...The children have disappeared!”

"W-What the?”

Standing at the front of the crowd was Chief Park, a former mixed martials arts athlete.

"Chief Park! I think he is the culprit!”

Someone shouted as they discovered Tae-hyuk.

’Four out of the 10 people have guns.’

They were abnormally armed due to receiving the support of the triad. He was able to see how much was invested into this place.

‘Sheesh. I don’t want to be killed by a bullet. I’ll have to use it here.’

He just wanted to test the power of the new attribute he just learned but the situation wasn’t good. Tae-hyuk cried out to the incoming guards,

“Stop.”

"What are you saying? You should be the one worried. First, I will tear out your eyes and then slice you up while you are alive. Everyone...”

Tae-hyuk pointed his finger towards the people running.

"Fire.”

Then he literally threw his body onto the floor.

Peeeeeong!

The bomb he installed in advance exploded and huge flames emerged.

Kukukung!

Half of B2 disappeared.

Tae-hyuk had lowered his body as much as possible to minimize the impact of the explosion and muttered.

"What did I say? I told you to stop.”

Looking again, it truly contained enormous power. This was the weakest of the bombs that the Bomber made. Otherwise, the entire building would’ve collapsed.

"Then there is one bomb left.”

Tae-hyuk muttered as he looked at the box in his bag.

@

“Keuk... T-This bastard...”

Most of the guards were alive despite being blown away by the explosion. Of course, that didn’t mean they were fine. At least one place on their bodies was broken.

Tae-hyuk, who was covered in dirt, walked over to the guards.

"Did you enjoy the appetizer? Ah right, I’ll say it again but you better not approach me carelessly. There is a bomb that is 100 times stronger here.”

"K-Kuheok!”

The guards groaned as Tae-hyuk tapped his bag.

"It looks like you are the boss. I will take the chief with me. Come along.”

"W-Where are you taking Chief-nim?”

“Yes. If you don’t like it then you can stay here. This guy will explode soon.”

The guards trembled. The power of the bomb that just exploded was huge, but 100 times that? The building itself would disappear.

Tae-hyuk walked to the chairman’s office on the second floor with a relaxed expression. He was followed by the wounded security guards. Their current number wasn’t even half of their original state. The crime prevention device that obstructed the path was resolved by a pass that Chief Park had.

The chairman of T Medical Center was sitting on a chair in the luxurious office and talking to someone. It was an executive from the triads, Yang Wei, who pulled out a gun and aimed at Tae-hyuk.

“I’ve never seen this face before. What do you want?”

Yang Wei saw the bloody guards behind Tae-hyuk. Tae-hyuk shrugged and replied,

"If you have ears then you would’ve heard the explosion just before.

“What did you do?” (Spoken in Chinese)

Chinese flowed from the mouth of the confused Yang Wei.

Tae-hyuk laughed and said,

"You must have heard on the news that a bombing occurred recently.”

“D-Don’t tell me...”

“Yes. For reference, the one that just exploded is the weakest of my bombs. Ah right. You can shoot me if you want. Then they will instantly explode.”

"Bullshit!” (Chinese)

Yang Wei got up from his chair and yelled.

The whole building had shaken from the previous explosion. Yet there was a stronger bomb?

"Speak Korean. I don’t understand.”

“...What do you want? Are you an assassin sent from Heavenly Supremacy?”

"Ding! I am sent from the Mary Convent.”

It was the first time Yang Wei heard of that organization.

"You shouldn’t think too hard. It is an orphanage.”

Yang Wei’s face distorted as he realized Tae-hyuk’s purpose. They had deliberately kidnapped orphans since no one cared about them. Yet there happened to be a bodyguard.

Yang Wei shouted with his expression still distorted.

"W-Will you go quietly if I give them to you? I-I will also give you money.”

"Don’t think that I am a bad person. I haven’t come to kill you. I’m just going to play a simple game.”

“Game?”

Tae-hyuk sat down on a chair in the corner of the office.

"I’ll give you exactly 10 minutes. Gather all of the officials here. It is exactly 10 minutes. Not 9 minutes, nor 11 minutes. If they are even one minute late, then the bomb will explode and this building will fly away.

“Kuk!”

Tae-hyuk was the one holding the knife and Yang Wei was forced to quietly follow his order.

"Then I will ask you one last thing. What is the game?”

Tae-hyuk smiled and replied,

“Doll Play.”

affinity points have been acquired.