As Seong Hyun-min spoke, a sudden pang of doubt struck him. His words could easily be misunderstood. Besides, he had no concrete proof—though he was almost 100% certain…
If Kim Soo-hyun started doubting him, it would be the end. That thought sent a cold sweat trickling down his back.
Kim Soo-hyun lifted his chin with a look of mild interest, and Seong Hyun-min lowered his gaze.
“An intriguing statement,” Kim Soo-hyun said, neither confirming nor denying.
Seong Hyun-min bit his lower lip. He knew how foolish it was for a user to cling to pride, and he wasn’t the type to fuss over such things. When necessary, he bent without hesitation. Kim Soo-hyun had made his warning clear from the start, and Seong Hyun-min accepted it.
A quiet chuckle echoed through the hall.
“Looks like you were trying to take Jo Sung-ho’s place, huh…”
Kim Soo-hyun began in a low voice.
“Don’t you find the current situation disappointing?”
Seong Hyun-min’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“It would be a lie to say I’m not. After all, I’ve been through something similar two years ago.”
The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp sting hit his chest. He felt as if he’d just made a huge mistake.
But it was unavoidable. Right now, Dongbu wasn’t in a position to negotiate. To be blunt, they were begging—pleading for their lives, begging not to be destroyed.
Seong Hyun-min was painfully aware of how difficult it was for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. The only way to increase their chances was to speak nothing but the truth. The moment even a hint of falsehood crept in, suspicion would arise—and everything would fall apart.
“By the way, I have one more question. What did you mean earlier by ‘the spearhead’?”
“User Kim Deok-pil was strongly opposed to the plan to shake things up. He didn’t participate at all, and when the Mercenary Lord appeared, he even filed a complaint. As for the Magic Tower Lord, he neither supported nor opposed it. Now, he claims he had no interest from the start, but it’s more accurate to say he just watched for an opportunity.”
“Hmm. And what about one Lord?”
“I was more directly involved than those two. I didn’t initiate the plan, but I helped shape it and took part in various actions afterward.”
After speaking, Seong Hyun-min watched Kim Soo-hyun’s reaction. Kim’s eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t initiate the plan… then who did?”
“The main instigators were Jo Sung-ho’s close associates. If you want, I can provide a list of everyone involved, directly or indirectly—including myself.”
Without a second’s hesitation, Seong Hyun-min answered. It was almost a reflex. Kim Soo-hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Hmm… I see…”
He tilted his head thoughtfully, then tilted it the other way, as if weighing something carefully. Seong Hyun-min felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. What on earth was that man thinking?
After a moment, Kim Soo-hyun, who had been barely keeping his eyes open as if half-asleep, spoke quietly.
“Honestly, the Mercenary Lord doesn’t plan to have dozens of clans under his command. At least, not right now.”
“…”
“Of course, that’s our stance. But wouldn’t Dongbu, of all people, be reluctant to come under our banner?”
“Th-That’s…!”
Seong Hyun-min almost said, ‘Yes, that’s right,’ but caught himself just in time. The answer here wasn’t an unconditional ‘yes.’ Didn’t Kim Soo-hyun just ask if he felt disappointed? In other words, he was probing deeper.
“Personally, I don’t see this situation as entirely negative. There’s a saying: crisis is opportunity. Maybe this is a chance to prove my worth, to rise even higher than before.”
Though he spoke in a roundabout way, the message was clear: I’m a valuable user. Give me a chance to prove it.
“Is that so?”
Kim Soo-hyun smiled faintly, then slowly rose from his chair.
“Good.”
“Huh?”
Seong Hyun-min snapped his head up as Kim Soo-hyun began walking toward him.
“Ah, the support you mentioned sounds very promising. If it comes through, it’ll be a huge help.”
“R-Really? That’s a relief. If you accept, I’ll start preparing right away.”
“Yes, yes. How could I refuse such help? The city’s restoration has been tough, so I truly appreciate it. I mean that sincerely.”
“…Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. For now, focus on rebuilding the city. As for joining our ranks, we’ll discuss that later. There will definitely be an opportunity.”
“Yes. That sounds good.”
Only then did Seong Hyun-min feel a wave of relief. It wasn’t a firm commitment, but the promise of future opportunity meant they could interpret it as, ‘We’ll see how you do first.’ Leaving the door open was a success in itself.
Just as Seong Hyun-min was about to get up unsteadily—
“About that list you mentioned earlier.”
Suddenly, a dark shadow fell over him. Kim Soo-hyun had come right up close.
Slowly, Kim Soo-hyun knelt on one knee to meet Seong Hyun-min’s eye level.
“I’m very curious to see who’s on it.”
Then, Kim Soo-hyun placed a hand on Seong Hyun-min’s shoulder. Their faces drew so close their breaths mingled. Kim Soo-hyun still smiled, but tension surged naturally within Seong Hyun-min.
And then—
A cold, hushed voice whispered in his ear.
“Among the users on that list… are there many you’re close to?”
A chill ran down Seong Hyun-min’s spine.
“Eh? Whoa?”
“Seung-yoon, why? Hurry up and get to the square. We start work today, remember?”
“Wait a second, oppa. Look at that.”
“Hm?”
The man called ‘oppa’ turned around as Ha Seung-yoon raised a hand, pointing ahead.
In that direction was a tunnel with a hole in it. The two were at the southern edge of the outer city, and the tunnel was a neat, straight line—not a curved spiral. In other words, it connected to the inner city, which had a warp gate.
“Uh… uh…?”
The man’s eyes widened like lanterns as he looked toward the tunnel. A massive crowd was pouring out—not chaotically, but orderly under the supervision of users. Judging by their appearance and the large loads on their backs, they were definitely residents.
Startled by the sudden crowd, Ha Seung-yoon’s mouth opened slightly.
“What… what’s going on? All of a sudden?”
“Dunno. Are we in a different city?”
The man glanced around nervously, muttering, “It’s definitely south,” while tilting his head. It wasn’t just the two of them—nearby users all wore puzzled expressions as they watched the residents.
Meanwhile, the steady stream of people began to dwindle. The number was staggering—well over three thousand. Ha Seung-yoon studied the residents walking by, then suddenly gasped.
“W-What? Isn’t that… magic stones?”
“Magic stones?”
“Yeah, definitely. Wow… how did they get so many? Those must be insanely valuable. Are they planning to use them as materials?”
“Everyone, follow me! We’re heading to the square!”
At that moment, as Ha Seung-yoon groaned enviously, a man who looked like a user shouted loudly. Some residents carrying magic stones followed him.
Once the crowd disappeared from sight, the two moved forward as if spellbound. Their destination was, of course, the square. Both were scheduled to help with city restoration starting today, so they had to go.
When they arrived, both were shocked again.
Though worn, the square had maintained its shape until yesterday—but now it was completely torn apart. Exhaling in surprise, Ha Seung-yoon saw dozens of users surrounding the square. All wore robes, clearly mages, and their staffs glowed with multicolored light.
“The air reeks of magic. Looks like there was a bombardment or something.”
The man rubbed his nose, muttering. As the residents arrived, the mages stepped back, replaced by workers handling materials.
Only then did the man realize the neatly stacked materials were for rebuilding the square. To think such precious magic stones were being used as mere building supplies!
“Such a waste… but impressive…”
Ha Seung-yoon gazed at the square with a mix of regret and awe. At the center, a man wearing a hat labeled ‘Safety First’ shouted in a strong voice that work was beginning.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------
Hmph.