Preparation was complete. Now was the time for the king's procession to begin. The Loan Shark got into the car, his expression showing he feared nothing in the world.

  The subordinates left behind on the outskirts would handle the remaining business. Several others, including the Saleswoman's younger brother, would join him as soon as they finished wrapping up.

  So, there was no need to worry. Not being able to contact the Saleswoman in advance was a bit unsettling, but he had sent her a message, so she would handle it. He trusted that since she was quite sharp, she would deal with the situation appropriately.

  "Let's go."

  The Loan Shark spoke to the subordinate driving the car. The vehicle began to move. Their destination was the building where he had previously worked. Since his flight, no one had likely been able to enter that place.

  The car, which he hadn't ridden in a long time, sped along. He didn't particularly like following the speed limit and evading the police's gaze, but he said nothing, simply happy to be returning to the city.

  Instead, he thought to himself: Once I arrive, I'll have to check the state of my old office first. It didn't matter if someone else had moved in. The Loan Shark was going to tear the place down and turn it into his new fortress.

  He had prepared many other things as well. Though he had been rotting away in that boring place, he had managed to prep quite a few useful pawns in the meantime.

  If he was going to do this, he would do it spectacularly.

  Life, as always, had to be interesting. It had to be flashy. And it had to be ruthless.

  Everything he had prepared would now go off with a massive bang. Of course, even the Loan Shark didn't know exactly when the real beginning would be.

  However, sometimes in life, having no plan is better. He could simply respond with wit and improvisation as things unfolded.

  The car quickly entered the city center. Though it was a bit inconvenient, taking a long, winding route was a minimum precaution just in case. Fortunately, the driving subordinate knew the roads well, so they arrived at their destination without any issues.

  "I knew I liked it here."

  The Loan Shark got out of the car and entered the building where his former office was located. Of course, there was nothing proper left inside; many things must have happened since he moved out.

  But that was in the past.

  Now, he just had to fill this place anew. Satisfied for now with the fact that he could enter at all, the Loan Shark decided to be content.

  He would likely be busy starting tomorrow, handling various matters with the Saleswoman. But for now, there was something more urgent.

  "Yeah. Right. Okay, okay. Let's see you then."

  The Loan Shark called someone he knew. Since he was back, he had to have a good time. He missed the alcohol and he missed having someone to talk to. Leaving his foolish subordinates behind, the Loan Shark wanted a place to spend his overflowing cash.

  Fortunately, those he contacted moved immediately. He planned to spend a fun night with them today. He knew well that this might be a foolish move.

  However, a person could only go so long being stuck in the countryside before going mad. One had to let loose like this once in a while to be able to get things done.

  With that thought, he took a subordinate who possessed a Tool and headed to the meeting place. The Loan Shark's face was full of anticipation, a stark contrast to the emotionless face of his subordinate.

  Paying no mind to that, the Loan Shark simply hummed a tune.

  Now, she just had to turn off the lights and sleep. Lee Young thought as she finished her daily routine. Collapsing onto the soft bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling.

  The room prepared for her at Min-ah's house wasn't bad, thanks to Min-ah. Beyond just providing the necessities for studying and living, Min-ah had made sure the room didn't feel gloomy. They were just small props, nothing grand, but the atmosphere of the room was noticeably different compared to having nothing at all.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Lee Young was grateful for that. The care shown in looking after things she currently couldn't attend to herself was slowly healing her wounds.

  Of course, she wasn't completely healed yet.

  Lee Young still occasionally slept in Min-ah's room because there were nights when she simply couldn't sleep alone. Those were nightmares that would likely continue to haunt her. Though she might overcome them one day, for now, Lee Young remained in a state of extreme instability.

  Still, while preparing for her high school equivalency exam, the nightmares faded bit by bit. Although she had long been distanced from a standard diploma, Lee Young did her best to secure a somewhat normal future for herself.

  There are many different ways to live one's life. Through this new path, Lee Young believed she could become a member of society once again. And perhaps one day, she might meet someone good, start a family, and live a normal life. Though she had already fallen into the deepest abyss for that, she couldn't just sit in despair.

  Of course, the thought that it would be nice if things worked out with Jihyeon wasn't entirely absent. However, Lee Young tried not to think about that path, even if it was difficult. Perhaps it was because she knew how Min-ah felt about him. Jihyeon was a man incomparable to anyone else, but she didn't feel like competing with Min-ah to win him over.

  Maybe it was out of gratitude.

  Min-ah was Lee Young's savior. She had faced her own share of difficulties due to Tool-related incidents, yet she had still reached out to Lee Young. That debt of gratitude was beyond words.

  So, Lee Young hid her tears and cheered for Min-ah. Someone might call her foolish for this, but she was afraid of needlessly ruining their current relationship. And more than anything, the thought of either of them being disappointed in her was scarier than death.

  Of course, she didn't think Jihyeon would be like that, nor did she think Min-ah would hate her. Nevertheless, Lee Young was anxious. Her soul was not yet strong enough to protect itself.

  For now, she just had to entrust herself to the warmth. With that thought, Lee Young reached for the remote to turn off the lights and close her eyes.

  Crash!

  Just as she was about to fall asleep, a sound that shook the entire house woke her.

  "Wh-what's going on!"

  Min-ah's father rushed out, startled. But before his question could be answered, another sound drowned out everything.

  "KYAAAAAAAARGH!"

  It was Min-ah's scream. Lee Young rushed outside, shocked by the sound. And then she saw it.

  Someone had kidnapped Min-ah and was fleeing outside. It was certainly not the strength of a normal person. No matter how light Min-ah was, it would be impossible for an ordinary human to jump like that while carrying a weight of nearly 50kg.

  "N-no..."

  Lee Young slumped to the floor at the sight. Simultaneously, she felt a surge of terror. A scream escaped her lips. It was a recurrence of the shock she had experienced before, a reaction to a reality she couldn't handle.

  And then, Lee Young collapsed. She could not withstand the overwhelming mental trauma.

  It wasn't a particularly difficult task.

  Indeed, it wasn't hard at all. Kidnapping a woman who didn't possess a Tool was a simple feat. For someone with abilities like Ha-eun, it was even easier. He possessed not only an unbreakable, overwhelming brute strength but also the ability to move at speeds far surpassing human limits when necessary.

  And with Mu-yeong himself providing support from the rear, it wouldn't be impossible to kidnap even the president. Wasn't that the case this time as well?

  Ha-eun would soon get into the prepared car and depart. Then, he would lure Jihyeon out and kill him. That would be enough.

  Mu-yeong thought this as he looked at the woman who had been subdued through the Tool. The unconscious woman lay slumped in the back of the car as if dead. She was connected to the death of the former Leader, and she was also linked to Jihyeon, who had made them taste the bitterness of defeat several times.

  Given their various ill-fated connections with the Cult, an event like this was bound to happen eventually. Of course, to kidnap this woman, Mu-yeong had to take care of several "useless things." No matter how strong Ha-eun was, if they had been delayed, the mission might have failed.

  That was why Mu-yeong pulled the trigger.

  While it was Ha-eun's job to physically take her, Mu-yeong had killed several police officers and individuals presumed to be gangsters for that purpose. In doing so, Mu-yeong was surprised to realize that the woman they kidnapped was a more valuable existence than he had thought.

  The kidnapped woman was receiving far more extensive protection than he had anticipated. She likely didn't know it herself, but many people were working toward her safety. A normal kidnapping attempt would never have worked, as everyone from the police to underworld thugs was trying to protect her.

  Yet, seeing them fall helplessly before him, Mu-yeong felt a twisted pleasure. He used the power of his Tool perfectly to strike them down one by one. Killing people with curved-trajectory shots might be difficult for some, but for him, it was as easy as breathing.

  It felt different from the sniping he used to do on the battlefield.

  Feeling as though he had become an omnipotent being, Mu-yeong felt a sense of satisfaction. Most people would likely tremble in terror and act pathetically before dying the moment they realized his identity. How exhilarating would that be?

  The joy of watching a human crumble in fear was something he would likely never be able to give up. Although it was far from the Cult's doctrines, the organization wasn't so rigid as to prevent an Apostle from enjoying such a side benefit.

  However, everything wasn't over yet. For now, he had to focus more on completing the mission than on pleasure.

  Already, the sound of sirens could be heard from afar. Knowing what that meant, Mu-yeong focused his mind once more. It was only natural; if police officers were killed in any manner, other police would respond. Mu-yeong was even impressed by their faster-than-expected response.

  However, that didn't mean he would stop his sniping.

  Even if those falling by his shots were the fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters of some families, it didn't matter. Mu-yeong simply continued the killings—authorized by no one but the Cult—for the sake of their mission. He would ensure no one interfered until Ha-eun made his escape.

  Blood soaked the road along with the screams.