As I recall, Park Yoon-Suk's death had shaken the media with a storm of noise and outrage, placing the Korean Adventurers' Guild in a deeply precarious position before the public.
To make matters worse, the scandal spread beyond Korea, drawing in other nations—China, Japan—who seized upon it as the signal they had been waiting for.
Park Yoon-Suk, though outwardly ordinary—aside from being a handsome man in his late twenties—was a uniquely beloved figure.
That famous orphanage in Seoul, known as a place where no one cared who you were but only who you could become, was in fact his.
In his biography, he wrote that he had grown up an orphan after his parents were killed in a horrific accident on their way home.
A man like him understood loneliness all too well. He worked tirelessly so that no other child would endure the same solitude.
When his abilities were discovered, he joined the Korean Adventurers' Guild, earning a generous salary that he poured directly into funding his orphanage.
Even now, I remember standing with him on the balcony, asking him about his greatest dream—the one he would pursue no matter the cost.
His answer was simple, yet unforgettable:
« I want to open branches of my orphanage all over the world, so that no child ever suffers loneliness alone. A place that could be a home for those who have none. »
His dream sounded almost childish, far removed from the image of a mad scientist emerging from his lab after some catastrophe.
Yet Park Yoon-Suk was better than most. He still thought with humanity, unlike so many others… unlike me.
His death had come in 2027. The news reported his suicide—leaping from the top of the Guild Tower, after burning every document in his office.
Or rather, burning the office itself. The Guild's reputation collapsed afterward,
adventurers became less trusted, and rumors spread: that he had been murdered, and the scene staged as suicide.
Looking back now, after this mission, it seems that journalist may have been more perceptive than anyone realized.
[ New Mission! - Main mission ]
[ Mission Two: Save Park Yoon-Suk ]
[ Details: Someone is targeting Park Yoon-Suk and intends to assassinate him. This person is closer than they appear, making the situation extremely dangerous. ]
[ Objective: Save Park Yoon-Suk ] + [ Additional requirements will follow ]
[ Time Limit: 48 hours ]
[ Reward: Luck Item + Park Yoon-Suk's Trust ]
If I succeed, much could change. Park Yoon-Suk's survival could stabilize the Guild, perhaps even the country.
At least for adventurers. Not that I care much for them—except for a few individuals.
But the question tearing at my mind: how do I find the one who intends to kill him? If only I had the Eye of the World, this would be simple.
« So, about your situation—what do you think about joining the Adventurers' Guild? It would be far better than sneaking into unlicensed dungeons. »
« Otherwise, you could end up in prison, or worse, with no one to help you. Even if you are from a wealthy family—I haven't forgotten that, » Park Yoon-Suk said, his voice warm, gentle, never raised, and of course, smiling.
« Well, since you mention it, I had been thinking of applying. I just wanted to prepare myself a little better first, » Ji-Kai replied, scratching the back of his head in feigned awkwardness.
« Preparing yourself by raiding unlicensed dungeons? » Park Yoon-Suk teased with a smile.
« Ah, ha-ha… what can I say? I tried the options I had. I was just reckless, » Ji-Kai answered, pretending to be nervous.
In truth, he had gone there deliberately, though his plans had changed when Kim Nina dragged him here.
« Well, no matter. You can go to the main office on the first floor to apply, then head to the sixth floor so they can process your data. » He handed Ji-Kai a paper, continuing,
«Normally, you'd register on the first floor, then go to the seventh for verification, and only then come to me. But we'll make an exception this time, since you're not an E-rank adventurer. »
« Just go to the sixth floor, have them record your name and details, and then—congratulations! You'll be one of us, an official adventurer. »
Yoon-Suk spoke at length, but his manner was so kind that Ji-Kai didn't mind.
And so, Kim Ji-Kai went to the first floor to register, then to the seventh floor just in case, and finally to the sixth, where the last requirements were completed.
With that, he became a member of the Korean Adventurers' Guild, officially recognized as a D-rank adventurer. Unlike in the past, the process was smoother, faster.
« They said I'll get my ID card next Sunday. Until then, I can't enter any dungeon, even unlicensed ones. If I do, my membership will be revoked and I'll be jailed for breaking the law. Anyway, until then, I'll focus on what I have. Now… where's the bathroom? »
Once everything was done, he headed to the restrooms, where he could interact with the system without being noticed.
« Well then… » he whispered, careful not to be overheard.
I already have two missions: one main, one side. The side mission concerns Kim Nina, with no time limit.
But for Park Yoon-Suk, I have only forty-eight hours—and two have already passed. I don't have time to waste.
Given the circumstances, Park Yoon-Suk isn't dangerous to anyone.
But remembering the past—after his supposed suicide, the hospital responsible for his autopsy refused to let us examine his body.
As if they were hiding something. Which leads me to a hypothesis: Park Yoon-Suk didn't die from the fall. He was already dead before it.
Which means he was on the rooftop when it happened.
« Someone just came into the restroom. I need to stay silent, » Ji-Kai whispered, focusing intently.
If the killer is the same as before, they may try the same method again. But the system already warned me: assassination.
And who could succeed in killing such an important Guild member? Extremist organizations, perhaps spies.
But that doesn't fit—their rise came after Yoon-Suk's death in 2028. So this possibility is…
Before he could finish his chain of thought, the restroom door opened again. Two men entered, speaking cryptically. Ji-Kai listened closely.
« The bait—taken? Downstairs? A new date? » one said, his tone strange.
« The fish bit, but downstairs? No. A very old date. Star Wars, my friend, » the other replied in the same cryptic manner. A murmur followed, then silence, and both left.
Ji-Kai sat bewildered, staring at the system interface. His head felt like it might explode from the strain of thought. He pressed his fingers to his brow.
« Ah Damn it. I need to prepare quickly. The time left is… only thirty minutes. »
[ Main Mission ]
[ Mission Two: Save Park Yoon-Suk ]
[ Details: Someone is targeting Park Yoon-Suk and intends to assassinate him. This person is closer than they appear, making the situation extremely dangerous. ]
[ Objective: Save Park Yoon-Suk ]
[ Time Limit: 48 hours ]
[ Reward: Luck Item + Park Yoon-Suk's Trust ]
[ Mission updated due to new variable… ]
[ New Requirement: Defeat the one attempting to assassinate Park Yoon-Suk ]
[ Time Limit updated due to new variable… ]
[ Remaining Time: 30 minutes ]
It was nearly ten o'clock at night—Yoon-Suk's usual break. He always left at exactly ten to return home.
But before ending his day, as everyone knew, he would climb to the top of the Guild Tower, spend a few quiet moments, then descend.
That night, Park Yoon-Suk stood at the railing on the rooftop, gazing out over the city with calm, contemplative eyes. Then he heard a sound behind him.
Turning, he was startled to see a female figure: clad in tight black clothing that gleamed under the light, her face hidden behind a mask that allowed no air to touch her skin.
"Seems I'm in trouble, right?" Yoon-Suk said with a smile, as though he weren't standing on the edge of death.
" Yoon-Suk Park , let your death serve greater interests," the woman spoke—not in Korean, but… in Chinese.
In the instant she drew a long spear and lunged at the unarmed Yoon-Suk, Ji-Kai burst from the shadows, kicking her squarely in the face and sending her sprawling back.
"I'll answer your questions later. For now, find somewhere to hide. The stairwell door has already been locked from the inside. If you can, call for help."
Everything had unfolded in a blur—thirty minutes gone in an instant. But none of that mattered now. Ji-Kai had to deal with this intruder from the Chinese Guild.