Chapter 32

Chapter 32
## Chapter 32

Shadows of Seoul (2)

“Over here, take this.”

A disguised individual slid a paper packet and an electronic notepad across the surface toward me.

I turned the packet over first to inspect what was inside.

It contained three lottery receipts.

“The round information and the picked digits are right there. Inspect them immediately so there are no complaints afterward.”

“Let’s see…”

The screen of the notepad displayed the official lottery portal.

The intent was clearly for me to cross-reference and verify the validity myself.

I casually set the device aside and slid out a lottery ticket from the prior drawing that I had brought along for this purpose.

Then, utilizing a disposable burner device, I scanned the digital matrix code to cross-examine the three jackpot-winning receipts.

“…There is no need to play petty games. Our relationship relies on mutual reliability.”

The matrix code scanned without issue, so I moved on to verifying the prize figures.

28 billion, 22 billion, 15 billion.

Matching these against the data on the portal, the exact sums varied slightly, but no major discrepancies emerged.

Next, I meticulously scrutinized the physical condition of each winning slip.

“Is there any chance a hidden trap has been woven into these?”

“Evaluating the capabilities of your counterparty is a necessary talent. But I am not foolish enough to wager my existence on a petty deception.”

‘He claims he is not doing it now, not that he never does.’

I continued my precise inspection, leaving the discarded packet on the table while slipping the actual winning receipts safely into my dimensional bracelet.

At this moment, employing the “Blood Magic” derived from Heinz, I failed to detect any malicious irregularities.

Even leveraging the hyper-sensitive olfaction of a vampire, no trace of an unnatural alchemical substance was present.

‘I will need to run a secondary analysis once I return to my quarters, using Hans’s “Dark Magic” from a safe distance.’

Since Hans specialized far more deeply in the arcane arts compared to Heinz, his evaluation would provide a much higher degree of certainty.

Regardless, taking extra precautions was entirely logical.

“Additionally, I require assistance in fabricating an entirely untraceable public profile. Can your network facilitate that?”

I slid the vacant packet and the electronic notepad back to his side of the table as I made the inquiry.

Because Han Sung-hyun could not realistically step forward to claim all three distinct jackpot payouts without drawing immense suspicion, external proxies were required.

Even if Han Sung-hyun personally retrieved the largest prize of 28 billion, alternate identities were mandatory to secure the remaining two payouts on his behalf.

Furthermore, possessing clean identities would yield numerous advantages down the line.

“…Is that variety of enterprise not usually under your own purview?”

“It certainly used to be. Right up until the recent cataclysm dismantled operations.”

The illicit trade of human collateral and deep underground black-market exchanges.

Inevitably, that line of work required close management of individuals classified as “missing persons,” and scrubbing the backgrounds of those abandoned personas constituted a primary revenue stream for the syndicate.

“My personal archives remain comprehensive, but the technical specialists have completely fractured into opposing factions. The surviving elements are paralyzed by terror and refuse to establish contact.”

Extracting memories was far from a flawless methodology.

Violently dissecting a subject’s consciousness inflicted immense cognitive trauma, frequently leaving fractured informational gaps.

Consequently, establishing a strict hierarchy for what data to seize was paramount.

During that phase, tracking down petty counterfeiters who specialized in low-level documentation forging simply had not been a priority.

“Very well. Consider this a complimentary gesture to cement our association.”

He pushed forward a sheet containing names and communication channels for several specialized contacts. I gathered the document and rose to my feet.

“I shall take my leave.”

“May our paths cross again under favorable circumstances.”

“Likewise.”

We offered our brief expressions of departure.

The traditional parting sentiment shared within this criminal underworld amounted to, “Try not to end up with a blade in your ribs; let us survive until the next transaction.”

*Click—*

The moment I unlatched the exit, a remarkably ordinary-looking youth waiting in the corridor stepped forward to escort me to the perimeter.

The entire excursion had proved to be highly productive.

‘Then again, maintaining a dedicated network of operatives would streamline matters significantly. What faction should I target? The group tonight demonstrates competence, yet…’

Following behind the guiding youth, I unhurriedly evaluated the environment, appreciating the quiet rhythm of the night.

—

“Phew—”

The broker pulled away his facial concealment and exhaled heavily, wiping the perspiration from his skin.

He began tapping his fingers rhythmically against the wooden tabletop, thoroughly immersed in calculation.

“Sir, regarding the statements made by that individual just a moment ago…”

An assistant who had remained present to facilitate the exchange spoke up with immense caution.

“Indeed. I am fully aware. He bears absolutely no actual connection to the Sanghoe, regardless of how he attempts to frame it.”

“Precisely… Would it not be prudent to launch a discreet investigation to uncover his origins?”

The “Sanghoe” was the colloquial moniker utilized for the human trafficking enterprise that had recently been completely dismantled.

What kind of entity would intentionally fabricate an affiliation with a ruined syndicate?

“Absolutely not, drop the matter entirely. Do not pursue it.”

“Are you certain, sir? Is it wise to leave it unexamined?”

“What is the ultimate risk of ignoring it? You stood in the same room; you witnessed his demeanor. There is no sense in throwing our lives away for a curiosity.”

What had been their primary directive when initiating these dealings and screening clients so selectively?

It was expressly to bypass sting operations and preserve a secure, enduring commercial channel.

“Yet, observing his manner, he is clearly not someone meant to walk openly in civil society…”

“To be frank, when his aura pressured me earlier, the sensation was utterly paralyzing. I could not even properly perceive his movements from my position.”

“Exactly. The manifestation aligns perfectly with a practitioner of the arcane. Quite possibly a vampire.”

“Ah… was that truly the nature of his power?”

The manager reconstructed that brief encounter within his mind.

The unnatural pallor of the complexion, those piercing crimson eyes, and a suffocating stench of iron that felt like a physical weight.

“He likely permitted those traits to show intentionally. It served as an implicit threat. If he belongs to the vampire lineage, could he be operating on behalf of a blood alliance? Or perhaps he represents the Funchon Society.”

“Given how the situation has crystallized, his authentic background is irrelevant to our operations. We have secured a fresh patron and concluded the exchange without a hitch. Our margins from this single interaction are substantial. It would be highly advantageous if he transforms into a recurring associate.”

There was zero utility in provoking entities capable of extreme violence.

Such was the fundamental survival philosophy utilized by those who endured within the darkest corners of the city.

—

Past the hour of midnight, within a completely isolated industrial borderland of Seoul.

*Thoom—!*

[Grrr…]

*Rustle—*

*Clack!*

A mass of reanimated corpses converged upon an isolated, derelict manufacturing facility, pouring into the structure like a breaking dam.

“Where is our tactical reinforcement? What is the status of the distress signal?!”

“Zero connectivity! Cellular networks, digital channels, everything has been severed! We are entirely cut off from the outside!”

“Curse it! All units, assume defensive positions immediately!”

The overseer of the industrial site, colloquially addressed as the factory chief, roared out his orders, his features contorted in fury.

Existing as fugitives, his crew had already endured countless brutal conflicts to maintain their survival.

They possessed unnatural capabilities that placed them vastly above ordinary mortals.

*Creak—*

The physical frame of the factory chief began to distort and expand, his mass compounding rapidly.

He shredded the confining fabric of his upper garments as his torso widened, splitting the seams of his trousers in the process.

He cast aside his ruined footwear, drawing in ragged, heavy gasps of air that rattled in his throat.

A muscular silhouette towering well over two meters, bearing the feral countenance of a wolf and lined with razor-sharp fangs—the extra-dimensional returnee known as a ‘Mine.’

“Uh…”

“Hehehe. Every single one of them dies tonight… Hehehe.”

His subordinates manifested equally monstrous transformations.

Paralleling the factory chief, several shifted into apex lycanthropic forms, while others displayed the crimson gaze and elongated incisors of vampires, or patterns of reptilian scales breaking across their skin…

Even among the few who managed to retain a superficially human veneer, the manic fervor burning within their eyes mirrored the madness of the otherworldly entities.

*Clang!*

Abruptly, the vanguard of the reanimated dead that had secured the perimeter breached the inner thresholds, systematically butchering any resistance that crossed their path.

Jaws and talons ran slick with fresh carnage.

Midst the chaos, recognizable countenances were visible among the thralls driving the assault against the factory chief.

“Krrgh… Dammit, we have been completely compromised.”

[Hehehehe…]

Standing at the front was the bloodless commander of the facility’s external sentries, vital fluids leaking from every sensory organ on his face as a twisted grin broke across his lips.

He had comprised a defensive asset so potent that even the chief found him difficult to manage…

‘Have they reduced our entire outer contingent to thralls in this miniscule window of time?’

From the moment the external conflict was identified and time was bought outside, only a brief interval had elapsed since the distress call.

As the factory chief braced his forces for a final, desperate stand, the sea of reanimated thralls parted down the center, allowing a singular presence to stride into the interior.

Enveloped in an absolute midnight-black vestment with a cowl obscuring his features, nothing but a malicious grin was visible.

An unnatural, mocking resonance vibrated from the empty space beneath the cowl, accompanied by a freezing vapor drifting from the edges of the fabric.

He projected the illusion of an artificial construct molded into human geometry, radiating an overwhelmingly malevolent essence.

‘No, is it even possible for a mortal to carry such an aura?’

The factory chief trembled violently as the creeping dread closed in on him.

The primal perceptions that had sharpened upon embracing his lycanthropic form were now screaming in unadulterated panic.

The entity standing across from him was an absolute aberration, far beyond any possibility of conventional resistance.

[Indeed, there is nothing left worth evaluating in this place. Your collective existence is to be expunged.]

Hans, the orchestrator of the raid on the compound, cast his gaze across the interior.

A collection of Mines pinned down by the reanimated dead, occupying a grim workspace…

[The lamentations of the departed resonate from every surface. A considerable duration has passed since I last occupied an environment so saturated with termination.]

To the casual observer, it appeared to be a standard industrial butchery.

Save for the singular distinction that the commodities being processed were not cattle, but living humans.

From specialized apparatuses engineered for draining vital fluids to heavy machinery designed for pulverizing skeletal remains, the entire production line was functional.

“Hahaha! You are nothing but a Mine yourself, so what is the purpose of this righteous theater, you aberration! This is the fundamental price of our continued survival!”

“Mortals slaughter and consume lesser beasts. What invalidates our right to do the identical thing? Does the supremacy of the apex predator not dictate the natural law?”

A few of the cornered Mines, desperate to counteract the crushing psychological pressure, shrieked out their justifications as if trying to forcibly dispel their own terror…

Yet Hans did not offer the slightest acknowledgement to their frantic rationalizations.

There was zero utility in engaging in ideological debate with psychotic degenerates whose lifespans were measured in minutes.

‘Even so, a contingent of captives remains viable. It appears they preserved them alive purely to guarantee the dietary freshness of their meat.’

According to the mental links, the reanimated thralls directed toward the storage vaults had uncovered a group of civilians secured within cages.

Noticing that their physical vitals had not depreciated entirely, Hans commanded the thralls to leave them undisturbed for the duration and hold the perimeter.

Hans then refocused his attention on the Mines who were desperately screaming to validate their actions.

[Quite so, the supremacy of the apex predator dictates the law.]

The syllables emerged like a freezing draught, resembling the malice of a fiend’s whisper.

The individuals who had been frantically shouting found their voices instantly trapped in their throats.

An absolute, crushing silence settled over the chamber.

[Your physical vessels appear highly durable. You shall provide exceptional raw material for my legions.]

It would be highly efficient to dissect their consciousnesses for actionable intelligence while the process unfolded.

Given their professed adherence to the philosophy of survival and predatory consumption, they could have no logical objection to being consumed themselves.

In accordance with Hans’s silent intent, the reanimated dead lunged forward in a unified wave.

*Clang!*

*Clatter!*

“Argh! Trying to overcome us with mere carrion?!”

[Hehehe! Hiyahahaha!]

“Uhhhh, rip them to pieces!”

*Thunk— Bang! Bang—!*

The Mines, having weathered numerous lethal engagements and chaotic skirmishes across their lifespans, did not collapse immediately under the weight of the undead.

Several operatives managed to draw high-caliber firearms, discharging rounds into the horde.

Perceiving that the confrontation might become unnecessarily prolonged, Hans elected to exert his personal influence over the battlefield immediately.

[Hiyaaa—]

“Ugh, the strength of these monstrosities just amplified exponentially!”

A crown of absolute darkness manifested above Hans’s head, and an aura resembling pulverized charcoal surged outward, completely saturating the reanimated thralls.

*Saaah—*

“Aaaah! The agony! My physical form! My body is dissolving!”

“My vision is entirely gone! I cannot hear a sound! Am I even producing noise? Can anyone hear my voice?!”

An array of debilitating hexes flowing from Hans’s precise hand movements systematically crippled the combat capacity of the Mines one by one.

The enemy combatants collapsed in rapid succession.

With the factory chief finally brought down and pinned to the floor, the last vestige of organized defiance evaporated.

“Ugh… The power of the Hahoe mask was of this caliber…”

The factory chief wheezed out the words as he was dragged across the concrete and forced down before Hans, entirely immobilized by the undead.

Though accounts regarding the exploits of the Hahoe mask had reached his ears, he had never conceptualized a martial dominance so absolute.

The processing plant was situated at an immense distance from the territory where the Hahoe mask typically conducted operations, and its location was deeply concealed.

Consequently, they had remained completely unprepared for an infiltration of this scale.

The reality that Hans systematically liquidated Mines and harvested their networks by dissecting their memories was a terrifying truth entirely hidden from those who had not yet been targeted.

[There is no reason to view this outcome as an injustice. I am the sovereign of termination, and you shall transition into tranquility while reinforcing my permanent capability.]

Hans murmured with an unsettling gentleness as he ran his fingers across the crown of the factory chief’s head.

The target’s tremors grew significantly more violent, rendering the soothing gesture entirely ironic.

[Naturally, prior to that transition, we must audit your accounts, correct? The process may introduce a minor burning sensation. Rest assured, the discomfort will not endure indefinitely.]

The dark leather concealing his hand contracted violently, clamping down on the skull with immense force.

The dark magic instantly bored into the depths of the subject’s consciousness.

[To be fair, I have not personally experienced the sensation myself. Hehehe…]

“S-Stooop!”

The acoustics of agonizing screams and violently jerking sinews filled the enclosed space.

The thralls maintaining the physical restraint shifted slightly to accommodate the thrashing.

As the moments stretched on, the extended shrieks, which had persisted due to the robust constitution of a lycanthrope, steadily degraded into a faint rattle.

When the reanimated dead finally withdrew their weight, the figure rose to its feet, vital fluids raining from its mutilated form.

[An impressive structural integrity, precisely as anticipated. Now, who follows?]

The remaining subdued Mines deliberately broke eye contact with Hans, drenched in cold sweat.

Despite the momentary delay in their execution, the interval offered nothing more than a brief extension of terror.

For a protracted duration afterward, the solitary acoustic profile within the manufacturing facility consisted of the hollow reverberation of torment, confined entirely within an arcane boundary that prevented a single note from escaping into the night.