The Imperial Hunter

The kid, who was puffing on a cigarette, glared at me and exhaled a puff of smoke. The way this youngster referred to me as “mister” sounded more like “uncle” and had a rough pronunciation. There was light-colored lipstick smudged on the cigarette filter. She extinguished the cigarette against the wall he had been leaning on and straightened up.

“Why are you staring like that? Do you have business with us?”

The group of punks who had been standing next to me started to move around me as if they were annoyed. Their hands were in their pockets, shoulders slouched, and they struck poses that suggested they thought they were cool. While they might have recently become adults in terms of age, mentally, they were still stuck in their school uniforms.

I didn’t pay them any mind and called out the target’s name.

“Do Won-hee.”

She flinched. The cigarette, which had been burning slowly, weakened. Today’s prey, Do Won-hee, had a fierce look in her eyes.

“Ajussi, what’s going on? How do you know my name?”

“Baek Seungyeon. Remember?”

“…Hah, bastard.”

This time, the target burst into a mocking laugh.

Four years ago, Do Won-hee, who was in the third year of middle school at the time, had driven Baek Seungyeon, who was in the same grade and was now part of this group of delinquents, to suicide. It involved repeated physical assaults, bullying, extortion, and extended periods of forced prostitution. However, due to the protection and influence of her parents, who were part of the upper-class cartel, Do Won-hee had received a remarkably light sentence in court, with only one year of probation. This was despite the fact that at the time, Baek Seungyeon had been in a coma, and a tenuous relationship of power existed between Do Won-hee’s uncle and Baek Seungyeon’s father.

“This fucker.”

Do Won-hee flicked her cigarette and stared at me from head to toe.

“You know that girl’s father, right? How did you know I was here? You didn’t stalk me, did you?”

“I did.”

“You did what? Seriously, it’s unbelievable. Hey, ajussi. That’s a crime, a crime. Do you want to visit the prison with your friend? Should I send you there right now?”

The henchmen laughed. The confident Do Wn-hee took one more step closer to me and raised her chin.

“Why, does that girl’s father ask for more money? If he needs money, he should come and beg himself. But he sends his friend instead? Isn’t this a matter of courtesy? If a lame person kneels down and begs, well, I can show some courtesy to my father and ask for a favor.”

I shook my head.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?”

“He asked me to make you die. For sure, with his own hands.”

“…What?”

The sound of a signal indicating the reverse of a large cargo truck came from the narrow alley at the end. The white side of the 25-ton trailer blocked the setting sun from the west. It was one of the mobile workshops operated by the organization. Do Won-hee, feeling an unusual atmosphere, stiffened her expression.

“What? What is this?”

The exit on the opposite side of the alley was blocked by a van that came to a halt and the sound of footsteps descending from it. Five men dressed in Western clothes with their hands neatly folded. They were the security personnel from the security team, including Kyung-tae. Do Won-hee stepped back a little more as she looked at me.

“Do you know who my father is?”

“I do. But do you know who I am?”

“Who even are you!”

She shouted fiercely and took another step back, showing clear fear in her body language. With her back against the wall, Do Won-hee called one of the henchmen who had moved a little less than her.

“Hey, Beomgyu! Do something!”

The guy called Beomgyu, like the others in the gang, was undoubtedly a well-raised punk with good parents. Reacting as if cornered like a trapped animal, he looked left and right and exclaimed, ‘Ahhhh!’ as he pulled out a butterfly knife from his pocket. His name was Park Beomgyu. Just by looking at him being part of this gang, one could tell he was no match for Dowon-hee, but he was also a brat who had been lucky with his parents. As someone who had earned his keep by being the princess’s errand boy, his reaction was different from the usual, but he was still just a kid.

With a flick of his wrist, the butterfly knife came out of its sheath, shining in the metallic light from the knife’s movements. Lately, it had become a trendy item for some reason. It was a display of manual dexterity that they considered a threat. In my eyes, it was just a child’s play, no different from a kid’s scissors game. What would happen if they used this showy trick in a real fight?

The guy, who looked like a punk with his appearance, growled as he swung the knife.

“I’m going to kill you… Fuck, I’m going to kill you!”

“Try it.”

Ignoring the knife’s less effective actions, his strength and speed were beyond the norm. It was a sign of physical enhancement. Moreover, it was quite advanced.

Meanwhile, Do Won-hee was grimacing, pressing the walkie-talkie to her lips. Unfortunately, the driver and security guards who were supposed to receive the signal were already taking a bath in a nearby mobile workshop. These people had made a living from dark jobs, and they must have been prepared for such “accidents.” Just like me, who never forgot to be afraid.

Even a lion could die from a hyena’s bite.

Holding the walkie-talkie, Do Won-hee yelled loudly.

“Beomgyu, you idiot! Aren’t you supposed to take hostages? What are you guys doing, not helping Beomgyu?”

Then, she put her hands together and shouted as loudly as she could over the fence.

“Help! There’s a psycho killer here!”

This was the reason I took action myself. Do Won-hee’s shouts couldn’t break through my deployed telekinesis barrier. It was a low-density telekinesis spread to neutralize soundwave diffusion. This allowed silent abductions and murders in broad daylight, even in busy alleys. It was an application technique for telekinesis I had developed, inspired by the ‘Trembling Giant,’ which served as a damper for sound diffusion.

If it was just about killing, I wouldn’t be needed. However, I had to keep one alive to capture, so caution was necessary. Plus, I intended to make a good impression on my newly recruited subordinates. Remember that the debt belongs to them.

Contrary to Do Won-hee’s words, human relationships were not just about sincerity.

“Aaah!”

The guy with the knife charged at me relentlessly, urging me on to make a move. It seemed like he intended to stab somewhere and take me as a hostage. I deflected his large knife move with ease and grabbed his vulnerable neck, twisting it in an instant. There was a sickening crunch as his vertebrae snapped. His body, which had been exerting great force, suddenly transformed into a weighty mass as I felt the life drain from him.

The eyes of Do Won-hee’s gang, who had witnessed death, were filled with fear.

“Let go! You bastards!”

“Aaaah!”

“I’m sorry! Please spare me!”

The security personnel who had approached without us noticing easily subdued the fleeing gang members. They broke their necks to kill them without blood splattering. Kyung-tae grabbed Do Won-hee, who had fallen to the ground after my blow, by the ankles and dragged her down. With a sickening thud, Do Won-hee hit the ground, clutching her abdomen in agony.

She whimpered and curled up like wounded prey. Kyung-tae, holding her hair, dragged her like a sack. In the midst of this, I picked up the fallen knife and made a casual remark.

“Be gentle. She is a product that must be handled with caution.”

“Hey, Hyungnim. This is customer satisfaction delivery. Even Sergeant Baek would approve, don’t you think?”

As we exchanged such conversations, the side of the truck’s cargo compartment, where several subordinates in protective suits and the client who had been monitoring the situation on a monitor were located, began to fold down, making a motorized sound. With a walking stick in hand and a slightly uncomfortable leg, the client, Baek Yeong-hun, a former naval sergeant and the father of Baek Seung-yeon, whom Do Won-hee had killed, looked at Do Won-hee, who was being dragged closer, with a cold and indifferent gaze.

This man was the client for this hunt and would be joining our organization from today, as well as the one who had been unfairly discharged due to undue pressure, not as a reservist.

Suyeon had found this valuable recruit in a homeless shelter near Seoul Station. He had a history of serving as an electrical engineer on a ‘Dolphin’-class submarine during his time in the Navy.

Once I and Kyung-tae climbed up into the workspace, the side of the cargo compartment closed again. Only when the door was completely closed did Kyung-tae toss the prey as if discarding it. Do Won-hee fell to the ground at the client’s feet. I also released the back of the body I had been holding. The organic being known as Park Beomgyu crumpled and crinkled as it folded.

“…… Hng!”

Do Won-hee, who met eyes with Sergeant Baek, paled and took a step back. However, her hand remained in her pocket.

Shouting earlier to capture a hostage, it was clear that her judgment was not fitting for her age. Perhaps if left alone, she could have turned into a major problem.

“Load them up.”

With the obvious order given, the subordinates in protective suits began to work on disposing of the bodies. This included putting the bodies of the deceased, including Park Beomgyu, into the same ‘bathtub’ as the deceased security personnel. The six sealed containers on the two-axle stabilizers were useful tools that allowed the bodies to be decomposed even while driving, safely storing and dispersing corrosive gases. There was no need to worry about odor complaints when driving on deserted roads while releasing the gas.

Tears welled up in Do Won-hee’s eyes.

“Spare me.”

She had nowhere else to go.

It seemed like she didn’t have the courage to look at her henchmen as they entered the bathtub.

“I-I really made a mistake. Please forgive me just once. Will you?”

I ignored the sobbing voice and watched Sergeant Baek as I carried out the orders.

“Sergeant Baek Yeong-hun. Can I consider you my subordinate now?”

“…… Yes.”

“Good. From now on, speak freely.”

At this, Sergeant Baek Yeong-hun’s gloomy gaze, which had been fixed on the prey, turned toward me. His deeply sunken eyes were like dry wells, filled only with a cold chill and determination. I felt a small sense of satisfaction knowing that there was no sign of regret. While it might be difficult to expect blind loyalty, the likelihood of betrayal seemed slim. These were the eyes of someone without desires other than survival.

“Do you remember the terms of our deal?”

Sergeant Baek asked with a faint smirk.

“I owe my life, and I will repay it with my life. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

“When do I start working?”

“After we’ve got your body in shape.”

Just a month and a half ago, Sergeant Baek had been a homeless man suffering from malnutrition and alcoholism, his body severely damaged. To build up the physical stamina required for a voyage, he would need a considerable period of care and rehabilitation. Circuit engraving and adjustment were not yet under consideration. It might be different if natural awakening became inevitable.

In any case, it would take quite some time to secure the first submarine. Just three days ago, I received a call that we had finally found a ‘Connection Seller’ from the White Chief. Even if I were to board a plane to Houston the day after tomorrow, there were many obstacles to overcome before ultimately achieving success.

From the end of the workspace, a faint sobbing sound could be heard.

“Please spare me… I’ll give you as much money as my dad has…”

Do Won-hee. Outwardly, she appeared to be just a scared college girl crying, but there was no one here who would be fooled by that facade. After all, no matter how you look at it, she was a murderer. Tears of a murderer, whether adult or not, were crocodile tears. If ever there were tears I would shed, it would be the same.

“I can arrange a separate place for you.”

Ignoring anyone else’s gaze and taking enough time to vent one’s anger, I made the proposal, but Sergeant Baek slowly shook his head and declined.

“We’ll finish it here.”

“Aren’t you going to regret it later?”

“It’s fine. Just make sure that brat’s parents are well taken care of.”

“Alright.”

Parents who helped absolve their child’s guilt would soon shoulder their own responsibility. It would be a simple traffic accident. I also planned to expose the corruption of her uncle in the military at some distance and bury it. There would be a lot of rumors for a while, but the alibi was thoroughly prepared.

“What are you talking about?”

Do Won-hee, who had stopped crying, asked urgently.

“What are you going to do to my parents?”

It seemed like her love for her parents ran deep, no matter how she appeared.

“Speak! Tell me!”

Approaching with a limp, Sergeant Baek Yeong-hun violently pushed down his daughter’s enemy. No matter how weakened he had become, Baek Yeong-hun was still a former soldier by name. The cries of the prey soon turned into a choking sound. The hand with manicured fingernails dug into the former soldier’s forearm, and the foot in sneakers kicked the empty ground for a moment. Do Won-hee’s arms, weakened by the loss of strength, fell lightly on the cold floor. Reddish blood gradually flowed from her congested eyeballs. If you were to put red ink on a white canvas, it would look somewhat similar.

The former soldier continued to exert force with his grip for quite some time afterward.