The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 392: Inner Circle (1)

She had changed even more than before.

Her body had become fully muscular with not a trace of excess fat, and several adhesive bandages were stuck to her face.

On the parts the bandages could not cover, vivid wounds were visible. They looked like scars that would not fade easily.

Moreover, her originally short haircut had become even shorter. From behind, she could easily be mistaken for a man.

‘She gained two more constellations.’

There was a particularly striking change. The number of constellations contracted with Han Seo-yeon had increased by no fewer than two since the last time he saw her.

That alone meant her skills had improved significantly. She had been steadily growing stronger.

Accordingly, her standing within the team also seemed to have risen. She was closely following behind Go Ju-hui, who was leading the way.

The fact that she occupied the position directly behind the lead among many hunters meant she was receiving a great deal of trust.“......”Han Seo-yeon lightly shook her head.

Rather than denying anything, it conveyed regret that they could not acknowledge each other at such close range.

Without speaking, they both understood.

That even if they revealed here that they knew each other, it would not help either of them in the slightest.

‘Seo-yeon, I’m glad you seem to be doing well. I hope you’re always happy where you want to be, just like now.’

‘I’ll always cheer for your success, even from afar. You’re already amazing as you are now, but I hope you become even greater.’

Though not a single word was exchanged, the two read each other’s feelings through their eyes.

There was no need to move their lips. A brief meeting of gazes was enough.

After ending that silent communion, they drifted apart again, each following their own path.

It was brief, but simply confirming that the other was doing well made it a meaningful moment.Meanwhile.

As he moved along following the guide.

Kang-hoo continued scanning every time a Jeonghwa Guild hunter came into view, making use of the constellation Falling Leaves in the Autumn Wind.

Considering the story of the Demon King that would inevitably intertwine with Jang Si-hwan.

He thought there should be quite a few hunters within the Jeonghwa Guild who were connected to or subordinate to the Wind of the God.

Yet he could not find a single one with any such connection. The same was true for Jang Si-hwan.

If a hunter were related to the Wind of the God, a mark should have appeared, but the Falling Leaves in the Autumn Wind constellation found nothing on Jang Si-hwan.

‘Then it’s possible the Wind of the God moves independently of Jang Si-hwan.’

That hypothesis took shape.

At first, he wondered if there might be some ability that countered the scanning power of the Falling Leaves in the Autumn Wind constellation.

But there was no way every hunter in the Jeonghwa Guild possessed such an extraordinary constellation ability. That was an absurd leap.

“Then I’ll head out.”

“Yeah. An important guest just arrived, so for now, get some rest. Shake off the travel fatigue too.”

“I should do that.”

At that moment.

A man who had been sitting on a sofa to the side of Jang Si-hwan’s office stood up to leave, and his eyes met Kang-hoo’s.

It was Ranbir Kumar, whom he had encountered before in the first-class cabin on a flight returning from France.

‘Looks like the conversation is already over.’

Judging by the exchanged glances between Jang Si-hwan and Ranbir, the recruitment seemed to be complete.

It was an earlier joining than in the original story.

If so, the subsequent recruitment of companions triggered by Ranbir’s joining would also likely be accelerated.

After all, even Tian Yunha of Taiwan was someone Ranbir personally introduced to Jang Si-hwan in the original story.

Tian Yunha, who possessed unparalleled sorcery abilities.

He was several levels above Yeon Su-a of the Myeongga Guild, who was known domestically as a famed sorcerer.

‘Lars Abel definitely needs to be cut off. When I meet him in Germany this time, I’ll need to provoke him even more.’

Strategic calculations spun rapidly through his mind.

In the original story, Lars Abel entered The Thirteen Stars before Ranbir Kumar, becoming the ninth member.

But now the order has changed.

Ranbir had become the ninth member, and because of that, there was a strong possibility that the joining times of later companions would also be brought forward.

Tap, tap.

With the sound of his shoes, Ranbir quickly passed by Kang-hoo and disappeared out of the office.

Even Jo Seok-hyeon, who had been accompanying them as a guide, stepped away, creating a one-on-one situation between Jang Si-hwan and Kang-hoo.

Even for most hunters, a private meeting with Jang Si-hwan was a rare opportunity, but for Kang-hoo, it had become fairly common.

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting. I hope I didn’t make you come all this way for nothing while you’re busy.”

“It’s fine. I was just sleeping comfortably in the car.”

“Haha! Is that so? Well then, this way. I should have wrapped up the earlier meeting beforehand—my apologies.”

As he followed behind Jang Si-hwan, Kang-hoo scanned his constellation information.

Despite having stolen the Seeker of Pure Darkness using a twisted contract, Jang Si-hwan still possessed many appealing constellations.

He really was the protagonist of the original story. It was practically a cheat-level ‘protagonist buff’ laid bare.

‘He’s got a disgusting amount of coins too. If I want to go after him, I’ll need to strip away those layered life-insurance links first. He’s got far too many safeguards.’

A bitter smile formed.

When he had designed him as the protagonist, it had been nice to give him abilities that could overcome nearly any crisis—but seeing him as an enemy was hell.

【Guardian of Glory】

【If the contractor unexpectedly faces a fatal threat, this constellation can nullify the attack using divine power.

As a neutral-aligned constellation unaffected by any belief, its intervention is proactive.】

Just the Guardian of Glory visible in his constellation information alone was top-tier when it came to surviving crises.

With the amount of divine power the Guardian of Glory currently possessed, Jang Si-hwan could easily survive three brushes with death.

That meant even if Kang-hoo drove a dagger into the back of his neck right now, it would only cost him one of those three chances.

And then?

All that would remain was ‘the escape-and-survival tale of Shin Kang-hoo, the fallen villain.’ A meaningless dog’s death waiting to happen.

To make a move on Jang Si-hwan.

He needed a strategic, decisive blow capable of wiping out all those layers of ‘insurance’ at once.

Either a destructive equivalent exchange where both sides lost everything they had.

Or a continuous, overwhelmingly powerful cycle of death that those safeguards could not resolve.

“Please, have a seat. The sofa you used earlier is over there. I hope you won’t misunderstand—I’m not offering you leftover tea.”

Pour, pour.

Jang Si-hwan carefully poured a fragrant tea and set it before Kang-hoo.

It seemed he mentioned it first to avoid any misunderstanding that it was tea he had shared with Ranbir.

Just like the last time they met, but today in particular, Jang Si-hwan’s tone felt even more humble.

When Kang-hoo quietly looked at him, Jang Si-hwan smiled and continued.

“Once again, thank you for what happened on the outskirts of Daejeon. I never imagined they’d set a trap like that.”

“Crime evolves too. Judging by their methods, it seems the new leader’s thinking played a big role.”

“I agree. Eclipse’s merger definitely turned into bad news. They gained a brain Kang Dong-hyun lacks.”

“By the way, what brings this on?”

He shifted the topic.

He hadn’t come here to discuss the political situation with Jang Si-hwan. They weren’t close enough for that.

Reading Kang-hoo’s desire to get straight to the point, Jang Si-hwan replied with his characteristic smile.

“As you know, our Jeonghwa Guild specializes in nurturing talent. Our goals are very ambitious. We want Korea’s guilds to gain greater international influence than they do now and to take a leading role in maintaining order.”

A recruitment offer.

He didn’t need to hear the rest to infer where this was going.

He had long been aware that Jang Si-hwan was interested in him. There had been moments where that interest was plainly visible.

Each time, Kang-hoo had tactfully drawn a line, but outright refusal was not always the best answer.

There was a lack of justification.

Hunters who received a direct invitation from the Jeonghwa Guild were extremely rare.

If Jang Si-hwan were to stop a random hunter and ask whether they would join upon receiving an offer.

One hundred out of one hundred, ten thousand out of ten thousand, they would sign the contract without even looking back.

For Kang-hoo, who had neither a base nor an organization, rejecting the offer without reason would invite suspicion.

For example, the suspicion that he possessed a reason why they could not coexist under the same sky—such as being affiliated with The Abyss.

To avoid losing control of the situation, he needed to push back firmly, even if it meant displeasing Jang Si-hwan.

Either make Jang Si-hwan lose interest in him, or give him a reason to reconsider the recruitment offer.

That way.

It would not be that Kang-hoo rejected the offer, but that Jang Si-hwan himself chose to withdraw it.

Yes, it was a fierce battle of wits.

There would be many more occasions where he would face Jang Si-hwan in the future.

He could not avoid him forever. And showing hostility without reason was the worst possible move.

After taking a sip of tea, Kang-hoo calmly continued.

“I don’t think simply joining a guild guarantees that everything will go smoothly.”

“Hmm.”

“Above all, I dislike being sacrificed for a greater cause. I’m thoroughly selfish.”

He did not say it outright.

But it was a subtle criticism of the Jeonghwa Guild’s attack on the warlord group The Abyss.

Because what Jang Si-hwan always emphasized in his speeches to guild members was the greater cause.

That good and evil could not coexist, and that the Jeonghwa Guild must step forward to eradicate that evil.

The hunters of the Jeonghwa Guild who were swept up in that cause met a ‘dog’s death’ in the Dongducheon battle.

For a brief moment, Jang Si-hwan’s eyes trembled.

In Seoul, the Dongducheon battle was being heavily promoted as a great victory for the Jeonghwa Guild, but still.

He himself would know best.

How much blood had been shed, and how paltry and unimpressive the gains were in return.

For Jang Si-hwan, the Dongducheon battle was a war that was won, yet failed. A painful thorn.

Regaining his gentle smile, Jang Si-hwan asked back.

“Do you dislike conflict?”

“Yes. I’m only interested in protecting myself. I have no intention of risking my life to protect someone else, nor do I find fulfillment in that.”

“Then don’t you realize that contradicts the good deeds you showed in Daejeon?”

“No. It aligns perfectly—so long as you correct the part you’re mistaking as ‘good deeds.’”

The immediate, unhesitating retort made Jang Si-hwan’s eyes flash.

It wasn’t exactly the outcome Kang-hoo had aimed for, but it was clear he had landed a meaningful blow to Jang Si-hwan’s blind spot.

Here and now.

Kang-hoo intended to establish a ‘frame’ through which Jang Si-hwan would view him—a subtle framework of perception.