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[Translator - Prøks]
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Chapter 236: Revenge
"The High Priest said he would release you?"
"...Yes. He knew everything. That I became an undead, and that I'm bound to you."
Lee Seoyoon's mouth moved involuntarily. Being loyal and truthful to her master was also within the scope of her commands.
"How did he say he would release you? Did he say he would turn you back into a human?"
"...He asked if I wanted to cast off the shackles of the dead and become human again. More precisely, he asked if I wanted to escape the life of a slave. I don't know if that means he would turn me back into a human."
After hearing her answer, he stroked his chin. Lee Seoyoon was a Hero-rank undead created with the Death Lord's knowledge. In other words, she was under the Death Lord's curse.
'It seems the High Priest has a way to break the Death Lord's control.'
But it didn't seem easy. If it were simple, he wouldn't have bothered asking for Lee Seoyoon's consent.
'He would have just released her.'
Anyway.
This meant his Legion Commanders might also be in danger. They were also connected to the Death Lord.
'This is troublesome.'
Honestly, he thought Merhen would remain loyal even if their master-servant relationship was severed. He could feel her genuine affection for him.
But Cedric...
'Would he be the same?'
If Merhen was like a puppy who simply adored her master,
Cedric was more like a cat.
A tsundere type.
They had formed a bond, but it had only been about half a year.
He couldn't be sure.
'As for Vulcan... let's not even think about it.'
He had forced Vulcan's loyalty to 100 with a 7-year temporary contract, but what if the High Priest broke that contract?
There was no telling how he would react.
If the High Priest broke the contract and offered to help conquer the Demon Realm, Vulcan might betray him instantly.
On the other hand, if the contract was broken but the High Priest didn't offer help, Vulcan might go berserk and try to kill him...
"Hey, Kim Minwoo."
"Yeah."
"Aren't you going to say anything to me?"
"Did you do something wrong?"
"...No, it's just that I couldn't say anything after hearing those words from the High Priest. Honestly, I was tempted."
"Aren't you being too honest?"
"...I didn't want to be this transparent either. Damn this curse."
She had intended to stop after answering Kim Minwoo's question, but she couldn't. It was as if needles were pricking her mind, causing constant discomfort. Only after confessing all the emotions she felt at that moment did she feel at ease.
"I'm not going to say anything."
"Why?"
"Do you want to be loyal to me?"
"...Honestly? Not really."
"That's why."
She was his enemy before he died, and after resurrecting her, he made her half-slave.
The High Priest offered to make her human again and release her from the slave contract. It would be strange if she wasn't tempted.
The silver lining was that Lee Seoyoon's loyalty was slowly but surely increasing.
'It was 23 last time.'
Today, it was 28.
Her loyalty had increased by 5 while they were in the Philippines. He figured it was probably because she had experienced the capabilities of her new body. There was a significant difference between the undead Lee Seoyoon and the human Lee Seoyoon.
"Lee Seoyoon. I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"Do you still resent me? For killing you back then."
"...Not really. I tried to kill you first, so it would be petty of me to resent you for that."
"But your loyalty is still quite low."
"Not resenting you doesn't mean I don't dislike you."
"Then why do you dislike me?"
"...I hate rich people."
"Huh?"
"My mom was hit by a car. I heard it was the son of some rich family, and all we got was a measly settlement. I didn't even get to see the bastard's face. My dad fell apart because of it. He became an alcoholic."
Lee Seoyoon's face darkened.
"I was beaten by my dad every day, so I ran away. I learned how horrible people can be after entering society. If I hadn't been tough and luckily Awakened, I'd probably be selling my body in some back alley by now."
"..."
He looked at Lee Seoyoon.
One of the main villains in the game.
A character who obstructed the protagonist.
That was all he knew about her. The game never revealed her backstory.
There were countless Gate Hunter players, and surely many had tried to capture Lee Seoyoon. But no one had ever uncovered this story.
In the end, Lee Seoyoon died countless times.
As a mere villain.
As a psychopathic murderer, as a source of experience points.
'Does this mean I'm the first to hear this?'
Perhaps her telling him this story now was because, despite being bound by his command, she had sworn absolute loyalty to him.
"So you dislike me because of that?"
"Something like that. I still remember the first time I saw you in the Gate. You have no idea how excited I was. And I had no clue that it would become my grave."
Lee Seoyoon said with a bitter smile.
"What about that rich guy?"
"He's still alive. He's probably the chairman now. He inherited the company, Joongyong Pharmaceuticals."
Joongyong Pharmaceuticals.
He'd heard of them.
They were ranked around 31st among Korean conglomerates.
'Basically... a lackey company.'
They were a generic drug manufacturer.
They waited for patents on foreign drugs to expire and then cheaply replicated and sold them.
"It's surprising he's still alive. I thought you would have killed him."
"You sound so sheltered. Like it's easy for a B-rank Awakened to kill the chairman of a conglomerate. Besides, Han Baekgil told me not to."
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"Baekgil did?"
"Yeah. He said it would be troublesome if I stirred things up and caused a fuss in the business world. Well, what could a trainee do? I had to obey the great priest's orders."
Rustle rustle.
Lee Seoyoon clenched her dagger and spoke coldly, drawing lines in the dirt.
"So you were secretly hunting inside the Gate?"
"It's quiet in there, and no one makes a fuss if you kill. Plus, I could fulfill my quota at the same time."
"Do you still want revenge?"
"Yes. I want to kill him. I want to cut off his fingers and toes one by one, then tear off his arms and legs. I want to make him crawl on the ground like a lowly worm. Miserably, with no one to complain to even if he dies."
"Lee Seoyoon. Do you want to do that?"
At his words, Lee Seoyoon looked up at Kim Minwoo blankly.
"...Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you trying to help me? I have to follow your orders anyway, even if you don't do this. So why?"
"Should I be honest?"
"Yes, tell me."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously as if doubting his sincerity.
"Because I'm in a bit of a bind right now. Thanks to that High Priest."
"You think my servitude might be broken?"
"There's a possibility. If that happens, you'll betray me without hesitation, won't you?"
"...That's right."
"Then I need to raise your loyalty beforehand. And I mean genuinely."
Simply beating her until her loyalty reached 100?
That would only make her resent him the moment her servitude was lifted.
Once the servitude was gone, her loyalty would disappear. Then she would act solely based on her personal likes and dislikes.
But getting rid of a useful Summoned Being like Lee Seoyoon just because of the potential threat from the High Priest was a waste.
She had so many advantages. She was well-versed in the underworld, her skills were optimized for assassination, and she could operate remotely even across countries.
'I also used a lot of good materials on her.'
In conclusion, to counter the High Priest's meddling, it would be best to raise Lee Seoyoon's affinity in advance.
And it had to be voluntary.
That's why he was helping her with her revenge.
"About that chairman, simply killing him wouldn't be much fun."
"Huh?"
"Think about it. Which is more miserable, dying as the chairman of Joongyong Pharmaceuticals or as a nameless homeless person?"
"...The latter, I guess?"
"So I'll destroy Joongyong Pharmaceuticals for you. Completely. Then you can finish off the penniless bastard. Do you think it'll even make the news? Maybe a small article about the murder of a homeless man. A truly pathetic end."
"Hmm..."
Lee Seoyoon licked her lips.
Just imagining it made her feel a rush of dopamine.
Kim Minwoo was right.
Dying as the "Chairman" of Joongyong Group versus dying as a nameless "Homeless Person A."
The latter would be far more devastating for him.
"But then your group will also suffer, won't it?"
"Why?"
"If Ilsung destroys Joongyong and takes out the chairman, won't they suspect you're behind it?"
"So what?"
"Huh?"
"Ilsung has grown a lot while you were gone."
"Aha."
"And it's not like there are tons of reporters chasing after some homeless guy. We'll handle it cleanly, so don't worry. Come to think of it, this works out well. We needed some researchers in the pharmaceutical field anyway."
Ilsung, like any Korean conglomerate, was a sprawling octopus of a company. They had their hands in everything.
Pharmaceuticals were no exception.
They could just dismantle Joongyong and absorb its employees.
It would actually be a boon for the employees working at Joongyong Pharmaceuticals.
Ilsung's salaries were much higher.
Considering everything, it was a pretty cheap price to pay for Lee Seoyoon's genuine loyalty.
This Summoned Being, as an assassin, had the potential to reach the global rankings.
"Let's go. Home."
"Aren't you going to do anything else in the Philippines?"
"Why would I? That monster is still there."
For the time being, messing with the Shadow was on hold.
* * *
Santos, the priest who managed the Philippines.
He cautiously knocked on the door after returning to the General HQ.
"High Priest. May I enter?"
—Come in.
Entering the room, he saw an old man sitting on a throne.
The old man seemed frail, relying on various mechanical devices.
But Santos's face was filled with nothing but reverence as he looked at him.
"As you commanded, I, Santos, have returned. But High Priest... isn't abandoning the Philippines too much?"
Santos asked cautiously.
When the High Priest clashed with Kim Minwoo.
He had received a secret message.
—Retreat. Everyone, from this place.
The loyal priest followed the order without question. The Shadow's elite forces stationed in the Syndicate withdrew overnight.
All that remained were the dregs.
It was a decision he couldn't comprehend.
They had spent over ten years establishing their influence here. The money generated from this place was substantial. It was absurd to retreat just because Kim Minwoo poked around a bit; the stakes were too high.
But the High Priest seemed to think differently.
Why?
—Tsk tsk. Santos, my faithful priest. Thanks to your dedication all this time, the completion of the Ark is within reach. If all goes well, we might even see it this year.
"Really?! Is that true?!"
—Yes. We no longer need money. What we have accumulated is enough. The rest is a matter of research and time.
"S-So that's why..."
Santos's eyes shone with a dreamy light.
Salvation through the Ark.
That was the High Priest's promise.
However, the research process was a top-secret matter that even priests like Santos couldn't access.
He had to rely on the occasional snippets of information the High Priest shared, but now he had a definite confirmation. Of course, he was overjoyed!
—So it's time to downsize. A large dinosaur isn't agile...
"Your words are absolutely true, High Priest! But..."
—Speak your mind.
"Are you going to let Kim Minwoo go? I understand about the Korean and German branches, but one of your great clones was destroyed because of him. I'm worried he might hinder the Great Plan."
—I understand your concern. And you must be wondering why I'm not taking action myself.
"...Indeed. His growth may be fast, but he's still someone who struggled against a mere clone. How could he possibly stand against you if you descended?"
—That must not happen.
"Pardon?"
—Kim Minwoo is a budding sprout. It's too early to trample him, the flower bud is too beautiful.
"..."
Santos inwardly sighed at the High Priest's firm tone. If his will was so resolute, there was nothing more he could do.
"...I understand your will."
—Don't worry too much. That boy will be quiet for a while. At least, if he has any sense, he will be.
The High Priest offered words of comfort and dismissed Santos.
Santos prayed devoutly.
To the Apostle Hadronox, a god-like being with power beyond his reach.
It was a prayer for him.
The Apostle was watching.
That boy.
And waiting for the right time.
The time to seize everything.
A faithful servant could only follow their master's will.
'Oh, great one. Your servant will wait. While preparing the stage for you...'
That time was not far off.
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[Translator - Prøks]
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