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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 20
“Nice.”
Dojun remarked with satisfaction as he looked over the spoils from today’s monster hunts.
No longer carrying his old, worn backpack, he now had a massive 100-liter mountaineering rucksack slung over his back.
In his left hand, he gripped the older bag, now stuffed so full it looked like it might burst.
Ever since slaying Kaserian, Dojun had been sweeping through the Rift alone.
His monster-hunting speed was so absurdly fast, he didn’t even bother looking at the monster byproducts. Within less than an hour, the old backpack had already reached max capacity.
In the end, he had to find Hyun Jooyeon and borrow another bag. She, in turn, asked Jeong Injoo, who got Park Seungho to bring over a 100-liter expedition pack.
“…That’s the kind of loot our entire guild would need to hunt non-stop for 20 hours to get, isn’t it?”
Park Seungho looked at the stuffed mountaineering backpack he’d brought and muttered in disbelief.
“20 hours? You think we could even stay in here that long? Just look at what’s in that bag... easily three days’ worth of hunting, minimum.”
As Choi Doyeon pointed out, the contents of Dojun’s backpack weren’t just heavy—they were priceless. Without exaggeration, it was probably the most valuable rucksack in the world right now.
“Who is that guy, really?”
At Hwang Jinju’s quiet question, both Choi Doyeon and Park Seungho, walking nearby, couldn’t hide their curiosity either.
Only one thing was clear:
“That man… might be the greatest hero in Korea—no, maybe even the world.”
Even in South Korea—a nation renowned for producing top heroes—Dojun didn’t just stand out. He made the whole place feel small in comparison.
Was there any hero on Earth who could solo Kaserian?
Even those considered the strongest on the planet wouldn’t dare claim that.
And yet, Dojun had taken Kaserian down alone—with no noticeable gear, no hero-standard combat suit, nothing. Just street clothes and raw power.
So what would happen if this got out?
“People would just call us crazy.”
“We’d go down as Korea’s top bullshitter.”
Park Seungho chuckled at Choi Doyeon’s comment.
“But seriously—no one says a word about today. Got it? Not that anyone would believe us anyway.”
At Jeong Injoo’s warning, the guild members all nodded.
If Dojun had wanted to reveal himself, he could’ve gone public through the media long ago. But he hadn’t.
In fact, he entered the Rift by using Hyun Jooyeon as a shield, and despite wielding that kind of force, there wasn’t a single rumor or tabloid mention floating around. That could only mean one thing—he’d gone to great lengths to hide who he really was.
“…So, what’s the deal between them?”
Choi Doyeon asked in a whisper, subtly motioning with her chin toward Dojun and Hyun Jooyeon, who stood watching him intently.
“You seriously can’t tell? They’re totally in the talking stage. You know, will-they-won’t-they.”
Park Seungho’s remark made Hwang Jinju nod in agreement. She might not know the full extent of Dojun’s strength, but she knew enough to understand he was hiding something serious.
“That’s it—only a man like that could stand beside Hyun Jooyeon without making her look weak.”
Hyun Jooyeon was flawless: skill, beauty, personality—all perfect. To pair with her, a man had to match her, someone capable of playing in the same league.
“Talking stage, huh…”
Jeong Injoo had thought the same at first.
But watching them together, she saw nothing like flirtatious vibes between Dojun and Jooyeon.
In fact, Dojun’s attitude toward her made the word “fling” feel completely wrong.
‘Can’t believe he treats Jooyeon like that.’
Jeong Injoo was simply amazed by how casually Dojun interacted with a global S‑rank hero.
·
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“...So that means we can’t just sell it?”
At Dojun’s question, Hyun Jooyeon looked back at him like he was asking something obvious.
Kaserian was the only boss monster native to this Rift. So far, the only confirmed killer of Kaserian was Park Haeyeol.
What would people think if the mana stone hit the market?
They’d want to know—who killed Kaserian? And checking rift entry records, suspicion would point at Hyun Jooyeon by default.
“Then people would notice us… including you.”
She explained, weary of the potential trouble, and Dojun furrowed his brow in response.
If you asked what set Dojun apart from the heroes of his ruined world—no question, it was the media.
Here, rumors spread like wildfire.
Could he ignore it? Live without the weight of public opinion?
If he was alone, maybe. But he had Eunyeong and his grandmother to consider. He couldn’t afford that path.
“Can’t you just say you killed it?”
“Do you think anyone would believe that? Even if they did… then what? How would I prove it?”
Hyun Jooyeon shook her head, exasperated at the thoughtless question.
“So isn’t there any way to sell it?”
Dojun seemed to consider black market trades—but Jooyeon promptly dismissed the idea.
“It’s not just about the mana stone. The real issue is you—Mr. Dojun, the one who defeated Kaserian. That’s what matters most.”
Even the rarest mana stone didn’t guarantee profit compared to the global supply.
But a hero’s feat—killing Kaserian—was essential. If the stone was sold, Dojun would have to reveal himself.
Dojun weighed the pros and cons of going public.
On paper, advantages might outweigh the drawbacks—but he knew better than anyone...
‘Once is enough.’
Back in his world, Dojun had shone brighter than anyone.
He fought to save a collapsing world, betrayed by comrades, haunted by dying screams, paralyzed by loneliness and exhaustion...
It looked glorious on the outside, but he’d paid a terrible price.
That was why… not even a Kaserian mana stone was worth sacrificing this newfound peace.
“Fine. Just scrap the rest—I’ll handle selling the mana stones later.”
Dojun declined to sell Kaserian’s mana stone now. Maybe later, but not today.
Hyun Jooyeon watched him, surprised at how easily he let it go.
“You can be famous—Korea’s top hero, even the world’s next big thing—and you’re turning it down?”
She asked, hinting at the revenge he could take on anyone who had underestimated them.
Dojun simply hissed, uninterested.
“That’s not how I want to live.”
Live in glory?
Dojun’s response left Jooyeon speechless.
That choice was incredibly sweet—but giving it up so easily?
Who could even do that?
To Hyun Jooyeon, it was a moment that made her rethink everything she thought she knew about him.
Then she frowned…
“…Why am I—”
…Because she found herself carrying the backpack full of mana stones, Dojun had just declined to sell.
First she was his guide, now—she was his mana stone courier, too?
All she could feel was sheer disbelief at her situation as South Korea’s celebrated S‑rank hero.
＊ ＊ ＊
Although it was a shame he couldn’t sell Kaserian’s mana stone, Dojun confirmed what he’d already suspected—hunting in the Rift was on a completely different level compared to gate hunting in terms of efficiency.
That settled it. He was determined to keep hunting in the Rift going forward.
Of course, he couldn’t always rely on Hyun Jooyeon’s help. He’d need to find a way to access the Rift on his own.
“Didn’t Eunyeong really like Korean beef?”
Dojun smiled faintly, recalling how eagerly Eunyeong had eaten it before. Thinking tonight would be the perfect chance to take her out for some, he headed home—but as he got closer, his expression began to harden.
His expression hardened as he saw the scene outside his house—just as Hwang Chang-seop had warned him.
Unfamiliar cars. Men in suits. An atmosphere thick with tension.
If they were just local thugs, he could’ve dealt with it easily. But this?
Prosecutors.
Even for someone like Dojun, that word alone carried a heavy pressure.
“Oppa!”
As soon as he stepped inside, Eunyeong, clearly terrified, ran into his arms. Dojun held her close, his eyes cold and sharp as they scanned the strangers who had ransacked their home.
“You bastards…”
“Seo Dojun?”
One man cut him off mid-sentence, stepping forward and flashing his ID.
The name on the badge read: Park Cheol-yong, Prosecutor, Seoul Central District Office.
“I believe you know Hwang Chang-seop, President of HCS Capital?”
Before Dojun could even respond, Prosecutor Park curled his lips into a sneer and kept going.
“Seo Dojun, you are hereby placed under emergency arrest on suspicion of participating in illegal high-interest loan operations alongside Hwang Chang-seop, President of HCS Capital.”
“Arrest…?”
Dojun repeated the word under his breath, and Prosecutor Park nodded.
“Should I spell it out for you? See this? This is a warrant. And what’s written here is a laundry list. Violating financial identity laws, laundering illicit funds, engaging in illegal debt collection, assault, intimidation… The whole nine yards. I’ve been a prosecutor for years, and I’ve never seen a punk your age rack up a criminal resume this impressive. Detective Cho! Cuff this bastard and get him in the car!”
At Park’s order, a burly detective stepped forward and clamped the handcuffs on Dojun.
“Don’t leave a single electronic device behind—gather everything as evidence!”
“Yes, sir!”
Wearing shoes inside, tearing through drawers and shelves, the investigators swept every corner of the home, shoving Dojun’s belongings into evidence boxes like they were looting the place.
His grandmother stood in shock, completely stunned, like the world had collapsed around her. Eunyeong broke down into sobs beside her.
Seeing them like that, a burning rage surged up in Dojun’s chest.
He wanted nothing more than to beat every last one of them to the ground right there and then.
But what would happen if he did?
His eyes kept drifting to his grandmother, frozen in place, and to Eunyeong, crying her heart out.
Grrrtt.
Dojun clenched his jaw, forcing the fury down.
“Come on. Move!”
As a detective roughly tugged on his arm, Dojun shook him off and shot him a glare.
“…Wh-What are you looking at…”
The look in Dojun’s eyes was so fierce, so cold, that the detective instinctively stepped back, swallowing hard.
Fwooo.
Letting out a short breath, Dojun turned and walked to his grandmother and Eunyeong.
He gently reassured his terrified sister and calmed his panicked grandmother, who was demanding answers. Only once they were settled did he finally climb into the car with the detective.
As the car door shut behind the silent, compliant Dojun, Prosecutor Park’s phone rang loudly.
Seeing the caller ID, Park answered immediately.
“Yes, Manager Lee.”
- Just calling to check in. How’s the situation?
“We’ve completed the first raid on Hwang Chang-seop and HCS Capital HQ. Seo Dojun has just been secured and is on his way to the prosecutor’s office.”
- Any… complications?
“None at all. Both Hwang Chang-seop and Seo Dojun behaved better than expected.”
- Is that so? I was a little worried… but that’s a relief. Ah, by the way—your daughter is preparing to study abroad, isn’t she? As it happens, our group is running a scholarship program for overseas study. Would it be alright if I wrote her a recommendation letter?
“Hahaha! If you’d be willing to do that, I’d be incredibly grateful.”
- Then I’ll have the letter sent to your home by today. Let’s hope this case is resolved smoothly.
“You can count on it. This is exactly why I became a prosecutor—to clean trash like them off the streets. Hahaha!”
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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