Chapter 145

Chapter 145
### Chapter 145: An Ideal Diversion

It’s a fantasy most people have probably entertained at least once.

Imagine a grand, imposing structure standing before you, and you trigger a massive detonation deep within its walls. Yet, you remain completely anonymous, a mere spectator watching the inferno consume the architecture.

“That was quite the show.”

I had ensured there were no victims. The demolition point was specifically chosen to avoid any risk to life. Nevertheless, the roar of the blast had been deafening, and a significant portion of the masonry had come tumbling down.

The entire operation had already been cleared with Chairman Han Sang-cheol.

“Listen, are you absolutely certain this won’t lead back to us?”

“Trust me.”

The blast at the hotel had been triggered by a projectile launched by Jung No-hoon. However, investigators would find zero physical evidence of the weapon.

I wiped away a mixture of perspiration and blood from my face before responding.

“You witnessed the process.”

“True.”

The moment Jung No-hoon had aimed and fired the grenade, I used Paradox Flame to incinerate its physical form. Following that, the two of us maintained the Paradox Flames to swallow every vibration and sound surrounding our vantage point.

The projectile, now formless and silent, traveled through the air.

Just because the physical casing had been erased didn’t mean the destructive force of the grenade had vanished. Once triggered, it would still reach its destination and erupt.

But there would be no shrapnel. No chemical residue. No traces of gunpowder. Regardless of the forensic technology deployed, they would never be able to identify the catalyst of the explosion.

“Damn, my head is throbbing.”

I grumbled, rubbing my temples. In any case, Chairman Han Sang-cheol was the one ultimately steering this ship.

“Maybe the old man isn’t a total lost cause,” Jung No-hoon remarked dryly as he stowed the launcher back into its casing. I let out a skeptical huff at his assessment.

“He’s only playing ball because it serves his interests. Don’t forget—he’d throw us under the bus in a heartbeat if the situation shifted.”

Jung No-hoon let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

“His own flesh and blood is standing right here with us.”

“Don’t lean too hard on that.”

While her presence offered some protection, he wasn’t the kind of man to roll over and accept a loss just because Han Sang-ah was his granddaughter.

Speaking of her, I reached out to Han Sang-ah. She was currently stationed in her suite, monitoring the signal from the tracking device.

“What’s the status?”

—It’s moving. It’s heading into the sub-levels. I’ve mapped the path. It transitioned through the restroom… and it’s still dropping.

Still going? I wondered how far down it was for her to sound so concerned.

—It’s hit 250 meters below the surface. And it’s continuing to descend.

What on earth? Did this hotel double as a nuclear fallout shelter? Sinking deeper than 250 meters? Was Playchip Hotel a luxury resort or some kind of deep-core mining operation?

“At this point, it’s clear the hotel was just a front built to mask that subterranean fortress,” Jung No-hoon muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. The Blue Wrench storage for illicit goods was buried far deeper than we had anticipated.

“If they poured this much capital into it, we can expect a significant haul.”

Extreme investment usually signaled extreme value. They hadn’t dug that deep for nothing; there was clearly something worth hiding.

“The chances of Chairman Han Sang-cheol getting what he wants just skyrocketed.”

“Maybe. Assuming we can actually find a way down there.”

Jung No-hoon agitatedly ran a hand through his hair before locking eyes with me.

“What’s the entry plan?”

“Deep or not, they still need a logistical vein to move merchandise in and out.”

And thanks to the tracker Han Sang-cheol had covertly planted, Han Sang-ah was currently tracing that exact vein.

—The signal moved from the VIP lounge restroom to the main security hub on B2, and from there, it’s a vertical drop.

To access the underground vault, the security office was the gatekeeper.

An establishment of this magnitude would undoubtedly have high-ranking hunters on the payroll. Breaking into the security hub meant a direct confrontation with them.

“We should regroup for now.”

With the mass evacuation underway, being the only ones missing would raise red flags. Jung No-hoon and I snatched up our gear and sprinted back toward the hotel grounds.

Outside, a sea of displaced guests had formed, murmuring in shock as they gazed at the smoke rising from the casino wing.

Navigating through the press of bodies, we saw officers maintaining a perimeter, struggling to keep the onlookers at bay.

“Everything is under control! It was just a minor technical failure! Please remain calm!”

Calm was the last thing people felt. When a building you’re sleeping in explodes, panic is the natural response.

“Hey! What about the tables? Is the casino opening back up?”

“All gaming is suspended until a full investigation is complete!”

The officer’s shout drew immediate ire from several bystanders.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve got high-interest loans riding on this! Are the police going to pay my debt?!”

“I was in the middle of a winning streak! You’ve ruined everything!”

The casino wasn’t just for the elite. Plenty of desperate souls had borrowed heavily just for a seat at the table. Even with the threat of a bomb, they were more distressed by the loss of playtime than the loss of life.

“Oh, right—around 5 p.m., some charity trucks showed up giving out free meals. People were actually queueing up for them.”

I sighed at Jung No-hoon’s observation. They’d wolf down the food and head straight back to the machines.

“In a way, we did a public service.”

We had effectively forced a group of addicts to take a much-needed break.

“Service, my foot. There are plenty of other places to gamble in this country besides Playchip Hotel.”

I felt a brief flash of nostalgia. In the old days, unless you traveled to Jeongseon, there weren’t many options for local gambling.

“Let’s get back and get ready.”

Chairman Han Sang-cheol had held up his end. Now, his job was to provide the perfect alibi while we slipped through the cracks into that deep-seated vault.

“While he provides the cover, we bypass the surveillance without using any supernatural energy, infiltrate the security hub, locate the hidden elevator, and raid the stash.”

Jung No-hoon nodded, looking impressed.

“You make it sound so casual. Like we’re just going for a midnight snack.”

“Is that a hint of sarcasm I hear, Jung?”

He responded with sudden intensity.

“We are talking about breaching the high-security nerve center of Playchip Hotel. No powers allowed, and if we’re caught on camera, we’re finished. It’s anything but easy.”

“Stop your griping. You know this is the only path forward.”

Jung No-hoon muttered a curse into the cool night air.

“We came here for a vacation, you jerk.”

“You can relax once the job is done.”

“Once? If you screw this up, I’ll have your head on a platter.”

He continued to grumble, then stopped, a look of contemplation crossing his face.

“The main hotel is crawling with guests and employees. But the casino is a ghost town now.”

Too many witnesses and cameras in the main tower. Trying to reach security through the lobby would be a suicide mission.

“But we don’t need the lobby. The secret path from the junket room leads to security, doesn’t it?”

And that area was currently cordoned off because of the blast. Even with the cameras active, we’d avoid the crowds—making it much more manageable.

“Han Sang-ah could easily disable the surveillance.”

I shook my head immediately.

“That requires mana. Using magic would leave a signature and blow our cover instantly.”

She could easily fry the system with a surge of electricity, but the investigators would find the charred circuits and trace the magic back to her. Since she was a registered guest, she’d be the prime suspect, and we’d be dragged down with her.

“Then what’s the play?”

“Think fast-food style. We get in and out in thirty minutes.”

There were only two ways to pull this off: perfect stealth, or…

Moving with such overwhelming speed that they couldn’t process our presence until we were already gone.

“The security office stores all the hard drives anyway.”

If we destroy the central hub, they won’t have any visual evidence of our entry through the casino. We wipe the logs, take the hidden route down, seize the goods, and secure the data the Chairman is looking for.

“And the exit? We can’t just walk back up the way we came.”

“They wouldn’t move contraband through the main hotel security office on a regular basis.”

It was too risky for routine transport. Moving illegal goods through a high-traffic security hub without being seen would be impossible.

Therefore, a secondary, external route to the surface had to exist. We would use that as our escape hatch.

Besides, the people guarding that vault weren’t going to call the police. They were just as dirty as the goods they were protecting.

“Let’s finish this and get some sleep back at the hotel.”

The casino had been blown apart. The people who invested millions in a vault hundreds of meters deep wouldn’t just walk away, but…

We needed to strike before they had the chance to relocate the inventory. If we finished tonight, we could spend the rest of our trip doing whatever we wanted.

“That’s what I like to hear. Let’s find Han Sang-ah. Every minute we waste is a minute of luxury hotel time down the drain—and I won’t stand for it.”

“Weren’t you complaining about how much this place costs just an hour ago?”

He nodded solemnly.

“Look, that money is already spent. It’s like an accident you can’t take back.”

His expression soured for a moment, then he slapped me on the shoulder and hurried forward.

Our rendezvous point was a 15th-floor rooftop lounge known as Ramur Sky.

“Better not keep the old man waiting.”

Chairman Han Sang-cheol was already there, nursing a drink. He had used the significant influence of Geumyang Group to clear the area of both staff and other patrons.

“Tell me about it. My joints have been acting up lately.”

He glared at me through narrowed eyes.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve talking about age to a man with one foot in the grave.”

“If I’m hunting the undead lately, you better be careful, Chairman.”

He gave a short, rough laugh. For the moment, we were partners, trading barbs. If we ever found ourselves on opposite sides, the pleasantries would vanish.

He had chosen this location because the open-air layout allowed for an easy departure…

And a leap from this height would put us directly on top of the casino roof.

“Let’s begin. No magic. No identifying marks. It’s 2:30 a.m. We hit the vault by 3:00.”

With those words, I secured my mask, donned a heavy robe over my gear, and pulled on my gloves.

“Understood, Rey Mysterio.”

“Quiet, Mami Hand.”

My mask did bear a striking resemblance to the legendary luchador. Jung No-hoon’s mask, meanwhile, looked like something out of a rap video.

“I’m ready.”

“Excellent, Action Mask. Let’s move.”

Han Sang-ah had joined us, her face hidden behind a mask that looked like it belonged in a classic anime.