HPDBC Chapter 86: Be Careful (1)
Chapter 86: Be Careful (1)
"How did you get this?"
KangWoo touched the two demonic energy stones from Kim ShiHoon.
They were small compared to the ones inside El Quero's head.
There was far less demonic energy inside them, too…
But that wasn't important.
KangWoo, the Red Rose Guild, and the Hwarang Squad had been
'Hey, don't blush.'
He covered his face with his two hands and regretted what he had just said, but it was already too late.
'How should I explain this?'
KangWoo couldn't help but remember Han Seol-ah's pale face..
* * *
"Then I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay, take care on your way back."
"Hyeongnim! Can't I follow you?!"
"I told you; tomorrow, we're going to A-rank gates onwards. The more people I have to protect, the more dangerous it will become."
"Ugh..."
"Then can you be of help against A-rank monsters?"
"N-not yet."
"Then you know what you have to do, right?"
"Ugh... Okay. KangWoo, I, Kang TaeSoo, will desist this time, but I won't give up!"
"Okay. I'll be waiting for it."
KangWoo laughed.
He clarified things so there wouldn't be any misunderstandings; then he said farewell to Kim ShiHoon, TaeSoo and EunBi.
If it were just him, he'd go immediately to a gate, but there were many things he had to do.
'I'm going to try to create an effective line-up.'
There were many gates.
Going mindlessly around the gates that were near wouldn't be very effective.
—It would be better to explain things to Chae YeonJoo and Baek HwaYeon and determine the most effective route.
'I'll have to visit the Red Rose Guild.'
The Red Rose Guild wasn't that far away from there.
KangWoo turned his head to Seol-ah and Echidna.
"I'll go visit the Red Rose Guild. I could be late."
"Isn't there anything I can do?"
"Not yet."
If there were too many crewmates, it would only make the ship go to the mountains.
To increase effectiveness, he didn't need that many members.
Seol-ah and Echidna looked disappointed but nodded.
"Then I'll go inside. Be careful, and good luck."
"Thanks."
After waving his hand, KangWoo turned around.
Echidna and Seol-ah waited until KangWoo couldn't be seen anymore.
"Seol-ah, you look sad."
"Fufu. It's nothing."
Han Seol-ah patted Echidna.
Echidna grabbed Han Seol-ah's clothes.
"It's okay. KangWoo feels thankful to you. I know it since I'm connected to KangWoo."
"R-really...?"
Han Seol-ah smiled while blushing.
She grabbed Echidna's hands.
"Let's go inside. I'll make whatever you want."
"Hng! Hng! I like steak!"
"Fufu. Okay. Then let's go to the mart..."
Han Seol-ah suddenly stopped speaking. Her expression hardened.
"Who are you?"
Suddenly, a group of men wearing red masks appeared.
"Who are you?"
A group of 12 men wearing red masks and dark robes that seemed to melt into the darkness surrounded them.
"Who are we?"
"You don't need to say that."
They kept talking.
"We only want one thing…"
"Your lives."
"What you must do right now…"
"Is call that person."
Each said one thing.
—They moved and talked as if they were only one entity.
"To call that person...?"
"Oh KangWoo."
"Call the man you follow."
"...Then your role ends."
Han Seol-ah bit her lips.
"I can't call him. I don't know who you are, but I won't follow so—"
"Should I call KangWoo?"
"E-Echidna?!"
"Wait, I'll call him."
Echidna closed her eyes as if she couldn't understand the current situation.
—She called him through the connection a summoned monster had with the summoner.
"KangWoo is going to arrive soon."
"You seem to understand fast."
The red masked man began laughing.
KangWoo, who had been going to the Red Rose Guild, soon appeared.
"Who are you?" KangWoo asked in a low voice while looking at the men surrounding Han Seol-ah and Echidna.
"You don't need to know who we are…"
"Just follow our orders…"
"If you want a painless death."
KangWoo looked at the red-mask-wearing men with great interest.
"Are you members of the Demon Cult?"
"We have no reason to answer."
"You're the one who must answer."
"What an idiotic way of speaking."
KangWoo started to laugh in disbelief.
Echidna and Han Seol-ah were surrounded by them, but he didn't seem to mind.
The red-masked men remained silent after seeing his relaxed attitude.
"Just like that person said, you're rude."
"Someone who doesn't know how the world works."
"You probably think you have everything since you're under Chae YeonJoo…"
"But we'll make you realize how big the world truly is."
The men moved behind Echidna and Han Seol-ah and grabbed them from behind.
—They aimed shortswords at them.
"Be careful," KangWoo said.
They started to laugh.
"It's already too late. Nothing will change even if they're careful."
"No. That's not it..."
A smile appeared on KangWoo's face.
"I'm talking about you guys."
"...?"
Echidna, who transformed her left arm into a dragon's, hit the one that had grabbed her from behind violently.
The man was pushed behind as the sound of his bones breaking sounded out.
"Don't grab me."
Echidna glared at them coldly.
"Only KangWoo can touch this body."