Chapter 278

Chapter 278
## Chapter 278

### Hahoe Mask Returns (3)

The assault executed by Hahoe Mask upon the East Asia sector of the Heaven’s Turn Society located in Shanghai did not conclude with that single strike.

Behaving as though he were compensating for lost time, his violent campaign persisted, systematically dismantling every associated group throughout the surrounding territory.

Unsurprisingly, word of this unprecedented devastation within one of China’s most prominent metropolitan centers traveled with incredible speed.

The news quickly transcended domestic borders, drawing international attention.

Predictably, the most frantic response originated from…

…South Korea, the bordering nation and the native land of Hahoe Mask.

From sensationalist gossip rags duplicating translated segments from the Chinese press to internet media platforms leveraging the excitement with provocative headlines, and even mainstream broadcasting corporations… every outlet was desperate to cover the unfolding situation.

Just as anticipated, the digital forums of South Korea were experiencing an even greater frenzy.

—The magnitude of his reappearance is absolutely wild lol. He went straight from crushing the Yakuza to obliterating the Triads. He is unstoppable.

—??? : I merely found myself grows bored with Japan, so I took a brief vacation to do some sightseeing across China. Now that I am returning to my true calling, everyone can relax and resume their ordinary routines!

—Brother Hahoe Mask has returned! I never doubted your survival!

└Weren’t you the exact same person weeping earlier about him being gone forever?

The dedicated fan platform for Hahoe Mask, known as “Dawn’s Shrine,” which had been experiencing a steady decline in activity, witnessed an immense explosion of user traffic the precise moment the updates surfaced.

—To everyone who insisted he was dead, time to lower your heads in regret. I will lead by example.

—An admission of guilt. I was completely mistaken.

—My forehead is pressed against the floor right now…

—Wow, is he genuinely alive? Is there any chance this is an impersonator?

└Considering the sheer scale of this destruction and the mountain of evidence surfacing… forgery is out of the question.

└If there exists an individual capable of executing such a flawless imitation, they might as well just be recognized as the authentic person.

└Honestly true lol.

The individuals who had previously expressed skepticism regarding his survival instantly altered their perspectives.

Ultimately, no one could deny his overwhelming capability and renown.

Regardless of whether they viewed his vigilantism with admiration or disdain.

However, this development brought no joy to certain circles.

Specifically, the South Korean administrative staff who were suddenly inundated with official grievances from both Japanese and Chinese diplomatic channels.

It felt entirely unjust to these bureaucrats, given they possessed no connection to Hahoe Mask’s actions… yet dismissing the international friction was impossible.

Preserving diplomatic stability remained paramount, making it vital to project some form of response, whether that meant proposing investigative synergy or alternative measures.

As a direct consequence of that bureaucratic pressure…

“We shall commence this extraordinary briefing. I presume everyone is fully aware of the primary subject?”

…A consultation was currently underway within the main offices of the Korean Returnee Association situated in Namsan, Seoul.

“Did we not resolve this matter already? The issue dissolved into nothing when it involved Japan. What purpose does it serve to resurrect this discussion?”

—Precisely. Our schedules are packed, so why did they demand our physical presence all the way out here?

“Regrettably, it is a complication we cannot simply bypass. Though what actual solutions we possess remains a mystery.”

“…Is it truly impossible for me to join via digital conference? Why must everyone travel to Seoul… This is highly unreasonable…”

The regional directors assembled by the mandate of the Association President murmured discontentedly among themselves.

The room contained leaders managing the Seoul sectors alongside those governing distant municipalities broadcasting through video feeds.

In stark contrast to the rigid decorum of state ministries, the informal nature of this gathering swiftly transformed the conference hall into a noisy theater.

For these individuals, an Awakened person’s authority and social standing were inextricably bound to their personal strength.

Inherently, these regional directors were all dominant personalities within their respective dimensions of origin.

They were celebrated champions, high-ranking aristocrats, paramilitary commanders, and legendary figures…

Possessing absolute trust in their personal combat prowess, they harbored no reservations about shouting their thoughts.

It was an environment governed strictly by merit, where sheer capability dictated respect.

“The government in Beijing is adopting an incredibly aggressive posture. They are exerting influence across multiple diplomatic avenues.”

Naturally, that reality also ensured they were treated with a high degree of deference.

After all, wielding such immense power served as proof that they had successfully navigated lethal gauntlets.

The pronouncement from the Association President instantly quieted the room, drawing every pair of eyes directly toward him.

“Are you serious? Why are they overreacting to this extent? He merely eliminated a network of syndicates, did he not? And it amounted to nothing more than a few low-level crews operating out of Shanghai.”

—Their national prestige has clearly suffered a blow. A rogue element from an external nation arrives and conducts himself as if he commands their territory?

“Who can truly fathom their internal motives. It remains entirely possible he struck a faction aligned with their political elite.”

While the arguments persisted back and forth, Yoon Ji-yoon, the Director of the Seoul Southern Branch—famously recognized as the Lightning Empress—who had been forced to attend this gathering against her inclinations, scowled as she dragged her fingers across the data displayed on her electronic tablet.

‘There is zero doubt that this is him.’

The entirety of the compiled intelligence detailed the exploits of Hahoe Mask throughout China.

Images, surveillance captures, firsthand accounts, and strategic evaluations derived from the accumulated evidence.

Scarcely a few hours had elapsed since the incident, yet the data aggregation proved incredibly rapid.

‘Though in all likelihood, the bulk of these files were surrendered by the Chinese intelligence services.’

The session was advancing at a sluggish pace, precisely as she anticipated.

It represented an unresolvable dilemma. What measures could they realistically enforce given that Hahoe Mask was currently operating deep within Chinese borders?

‘Are the politicians merely generating theater to secure an advantage during upcoming foreign negotiations? That aligns perfectly with their typical behavior… ’

As her fingers idly shifted through the digital documents, her focus abruptly froze upon a specific entry.

It was a detailed record concerning the architectural structure where the primary confrontation had transpired.

‘On paper, it functioned as a standard venture capital firm. Yet several anomalies were uncovered during the preliminary analysis… Wait, this feels off.’

The accompanying documentation mirrored this report almost exactly.

The chaotic slaughter of Triad operatives and related criminal syndicates throughout the immediate district.

It was classic, predictable behavior for Hahoe Mask.

‘Hahoe Mask… Hahoe Mask… Hold on… ’

As she silently murmured the title, a sudden revelation manifested in her mind.

‘The existence of the Heaven’s Turn Society was unveiled almost immediately following the emergence of Hahoe Mask.’

This was the identical syndicate that Alpha—the former commander of the Blood Alliance’s radical wing and the tier 9 Mad Blood Devil responsible for the devastating assault inside her own sector—had been associated with.

That individual had vanished entirely following a violent encounter with Hahoe Mask.

‘I failed to connect the pieces during the initial incident… ’

Yet reviewing the situation now, the trajectory of Hahoe Mask—stretching from Korea across to Japan and ultimately into China—suggested a deliberate pattern.

What reason would compel him to cross international waters solely to eliminate common syndicates?

Furthermore, what explained the correlation between his abrupt disappearance from the Japanese landscape and this sudden eruption in Shanghai?

Could it be that he was actively hunting the Heaven’s Turn Society, pursuing a piece of intelligence he secured while breaking their network in Japan?

‘…I need to initiate a conversation with Heinz.’

Suspicion had lingered in her mind for a considerable duration, though she had neglected to launch a formal inquiry.

Regarding the potential alignment between Hahoe Mask and Heterosis.

‘He even adopted the moniker “Phantom” during the period Hahoe Mask went silent… Could it be they originate from an identical realm?’

Arriving at what felt like a logical deduction, she redirected her focus toward the active conference.

She resolved to conduct a deeper investigation at a more opportune moment.

However, her concentration dissolved almost instantly.

Sufficiently exhausted by the circular, pointless debate, she stealthily extracted her mobile device beneath the edge of the conference table and launched a digital game.

She silenced the speakers and, utilizing her heightened coordination, ensured her physical inputs remained as imperceptible as possible.

‘She is actively gaming.’

‘A mobile game, wow.’

‘I am incredibly envious… ’

Regrettably for her privacy, every individual occupying the space was an Awakened operative.

Predictably, not a single person overlooked her subtle physical adjustments.

Even so, they merely cast fleeting glances in her direction before swiftly averting their eyes. Not a single soul possessed the courage to call her out.

Only the Association President allowed a subtle grimace to cross his features.

‘Perhaps I ought to invest a bit more capital into my account…?’

Though her official designation placed her merely as a regional manager, her true destructive capacity rivaled the President himself.

Consequently, no one dared challenge her behavior.

—

Crash—!

The violent sound of shattering glass reverberated through the chaotic laboratory, an environment choked with diverse technological apparatus and bizarre chemical mixtures.

Such noises were a standard occurrence in this space, though on this particular afternoon, the individual creating the disruption was consumed by an immense rage.

“Insolent trash! This is completely intolerable!”

Smash— Clatter— Crack!

A row of glass containers, arranged meticulously upon a storage ledge, shattered spontaneously like explosive devices without a single hand touching them.

They shattered in direct response to his volatile psychological state.

“Stop, stop, stop! This cannot continue. I am going to destroy all of my invaluable chemical compounds!”

Yet the instant the words departed his mouth, the scattered shards and cascading fluids abruptly altered their physical motion, stitching themselves back together and returning to their original positions as if time itself were flowing backward.

He inspected the reassembled containers, offering a brief nod as his anxiety subsided.

Immediately following that—

“I have absolutely no use for these!”

Crash—! Smash—!

With a sweeping motion of his arm, he hurled the entire collection from the ledge, sending them splintering against the floorboards.

Doctor, the foremost intellectual mind of the Heaven’s Turn Society and the primary confidant to the Master, plowed his fingers through his unwashed hair in absolute irritation.

Absolutely nothing was unfolding according to his designs.

The snare had been prepared for a considerable duration, yet Heinz—the indispensable component required for his “Complete Evolution Project”—lingered within the European territories, showing zero inclination to journey back toward South Korea. Concurrently, Yulryeongja, an incredibly scarce and useful asset, had just been utterly bested by Hahoe Mask.

Surrendering their East Asia Branch Manager constituted a massive operational setback.

Their influence over that entire geographic sector would inevitably disintegrate.

“That ocular piece! It represented an irreplaceable masterwork!”

However, the primary source of Doctor’s fury originated from a completely separate grievance.

“I went so far as to present him with a mutual concession! Curser that fool! My entire strategy relied on seizing the artifact for myself once he completed the field tests!”

The loss of the advanced mechanical eye aggravated him far more than the elimination of a high-tier commander within the organization.

‘Replacing a mechanical arm or cybernetic lower limbs is a simple matter, but that specific Calicas eye… I truly yearned to possess it.’

He had already commanded his personal operatives to scour the ruins of the compromised East Asia sector main office.

Unfortunately, mirroring every historical casualty attributed to Hahoe Mask, not a single remnant of Yulryeongja or his mystical implements remained. Even his physical corpse had vanished.

“I committed a grave error by allowing him to borrow it! I should have kept the prize for myself and integrated it directly into my own ocular cavity… No, right into the center of my skull! That modification would have granted me a triad of eyes… Wait a moment?”

Midway through his manic tirade, he froze instantly as a novel concept crystallized within his intellect.

“A triad of eyes? An additional ocular organ?”

He shifted his head sideways, evaluating the mechanical possibilities, and then…

“Ooh ho ho~! Now this presents a truly fascinating endeavor!”

His resentment evaporated instantly, replaced by a wave of unhinged euphoria as a grotesque smile split his face.

“I require a fresh canvas for experimentation! Let us consider the parameters… I shall be forced to bore an aperture through the cranial bone and anchor the pathways directly into the pineal gland… Yes, a remarkably resilient Awakened subject would serve perfectly!”

Wringing his hands together in manic delight, his gaze burning with psychotic focus, he exited the laboratory space.

‘An alternative asset can manage the complications left behind in East Asia. That specific matriarch, or whomever.’

He no longer held the slightest investment in the ultimate end of Yulryeongja.

—

Following the successful neutralization of Yulryeongja, who represented one of his most prominent high-tier objectives to date,

Hans expectedly initiated an intrusion into the captive’s consciousness, aiming to salvage critical operational data.

‘Regrettably, the ultimate outcome proved… highly unsatisfactory.’

Predictably for an operative specializing entirely in psychic-type disciplines, breaching his mental defenses had proven exceptionally problematic.

Despite the fact that the target barely occupied the master-tier classification, the psychological fortifying of his intellect presented a challenge akin to assaulting a transcendent entity.

‘I failed to anticipate his capacity to completely purge his own mental pathways.’

The execution had occurred with such instantaneous velocity that Hans found himself entirely unable to counter the action.

Throughout that destructive sequence, Yulryeongja chose to entirely dissolve his own cognitive identity.

This extreme measure ensured Hans could salvage zero actionable intelligence, even following his physical expiration.

He had proven to be a genuinely resolute adversary.

‘It was an immense stroke of fortune that I possessed the Orb of Mind.’

He succeeded in reconstructing a minor collection of memory remnants—a process highly reminiscent of conducting a digital data recovery—utilizing the specialized artifact he had secured during their historical clash.

Fortune had smiled upon him in that regard.

Following the extraction of what minimal data remained viable,

He immediately shifted to his next objective.

“Master, I am preparing to depart on a journey!”

“What? So abruptly?”

Within the boundaries of Tarak, a settlement situated inside the Tulk Kingdom where Howard maintained his personal crafting facility,

Zaonic stared in open bewilderment at the sudden announcement delivered by Howard.

In response, Howard merely offered a resolute, unblinking nod.

“Correct, it is necessary for me to… explore unfamiliar domains and achieve greater professional revelation.”

A profound expression of resolve, driven by an unquenchable thirst for craft mastery, flickered within the features of the youthful Dwarf.