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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 29
Tap-Tap-Tap.
〈Seo Dojun: Aviator〉
“What’s this?”
Hyun Jooyeon frowned slightly as she checked the message, her neatly arched brows tightening.
Puzzled, she thought for a moment but couldn’t make sense of it. Finally, she replied to Seo Dojun, clearly confused.
〈Hyun Jooyeon: What do you mean by ‘Aviator’〉
His reply came instantly.
〈Seo Dojun: I was thinking of getting a car. You said you'd buy me one back then, right? If it's too much, forget it.〉
〈Hyun Jooyeon: Oh… is that what you meant? But what kind of car is an Aviator? I don’t think I’ve heard of it. I can get most cars, but if it’s a limited edition, it might be tough to find.〉
The idea of Hyun Jooyeon buying a man a limited edition car?
If a rumor like that got out, she’d be in a pretty awkward spot. That’s why she hoped it would be something easy to source—something common enough not to raise any eyebrows.
〈Seo Dojun: A full-size SUV from Lincoln.〉
Just straight to the point, as always.
Hyun Jooyeon chuckled softly at his blunt message, then immediately looked it up.
It was an American car—made by Lincoln, the luxury division of Ford.
“…₩100 million?”
The price hovered just over ₩100 million (approx. $75,000 USD).
“Does he think I’m that cheap?”
She’d genuinely meant it when she said she’d get him a car. She’d considered everything from world-famous luxury brands to ultra-premium sports cars favored by heroes in their twenties.
Jooyeon herself owned a Bugatti worth several billion won. On top of that, she had a Lamborghini, a Bentley, a Benz… a total of five cars.
To her, Lincoln was practically a budget brand, and ₩100 million? Even as a gift, it left a weird taste in her mouth.
More than anything, Dojun was now officially an S-Rank hero.
He could earn 100 million without breaking a sweat—so for him to request a car in that price range almost made her suspicious there was some hidden meaning behind it.
Which is why Jooyeon was perfectly willing to buy him a high-end supercar if that’s what he really wanted.
That just meant the information Dojun gave about Mekkasian had been incredibly valuable—valuable enough to net a hefty profit.
But paying ₩100 million for info on Mekkasian?
No matter how she looked at it, Hyun Jooyeon thought it was highway robbery. Even worse, it felt like straight-up exploitation.
〈Hyun Jooyeon: As long as it’s not some hard-to-get limited edition, I don’t mind buying something more expensive.〉
〈Seo Dojun: That price range is good enough.〉
Even through text, Dojun’s firmness came through loud and clear. It made Jooyeon chuckle again.
He was serious.
She hadn’t known him long, but one thing was clear—Dojun wasn’t the type to talk nonsense. He didn’t beat around the bush or sugarcoat things. If he said something, he meant it.
This really was the level of gift he thought appropriate.
Trying to offer something more expensive would just bounce off him. So Jooyeon replied, signaling her understanding.
“What’s so funny?”
“Hm?”
“You’ve been smirking at your phone this whole time. What are you looking at?”
Jeong Injoo, having paused mid-conversation, gave Jooyeon a sideways glance, clearly curious.
“It’s nothing.”
Jooyeon quickly locked her phone screen—and then turned it off completely.
“Now it’s definitely suspicious.”
“What’s suspicious? Just keep talking. You were saying the Association decided to send heroes to Brazil, right?”
Injoo narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced by Jooyeon’s forced subject change. But eventually, she nodded.
“Yeah, as you know, the monsters in Brazil are especially aggressive. The Brazilian government and the Association finally admitted they can’t hold out anymore. So they’re leaning toward completely shutting down the Rift.”
“Shutting it down? That’s a hell of a decision… Didn’t the U.S. ask Brazil to transfer the ownership rights to the Rift?”
“They did. But Brazil refused. I mean, think about it—they didn’t want another country setting up a Gate on their own soil, letting foreign heroes come and go without restrictions. Can’t really blame them.”
Jooyeon nodded in understanding.
Even with the world plagued by monsters and Rifts, international interests and power struggles hadn’t gone away.
If anything, countries were now more calculating—every move weighed, every decision scrutinized.
That whole “the world is one” thing world leaders kept shouting from the rooftops?
A total lie. A contradiction dressed up as unity.
The reality was—every nation was clawing for its own safety and profit. Period.
Especially the older superpowers—they were constantly watching their backs, wary of rising “hero nations” threatening their dominance.
And South Korea? It was right at the top of that rising list—meaning it was already being subtly checked and pressured by those same powers.
“So you and the guild are going to Brazil?”
“The Association’s offering decent compensation, and monsters in Brazil have a high drop rate for mana stones, remember? We had a guild meeting and decided it’s a good chance to stock up. You’ll help out, right?”
Jooyeon frowned as Injoo grinned sweetly.
“You’re seriously dragging up that mess in Chuncheon just to get me involved again? Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Oh, come on. Don’t think of it like that. It’s just safer for me and my guild if you’re around, that’s all. Also… that guy back then, the one from the Chuncheon rift—that’s the guy everyone’s talking about now, isn’t he?”
South Korea’s 8th S-rank hero.
Nothing had been officially confirmed yet, but rumors about the 8th S-rank hero were already flying.
Some media outlets were even running speculative stories, subtly putting pressure on the Hero Association.
Injoo was almost certain that ‘that’ hero was Dojun.
Like, 99% sure.
“I don’t know.”
“Please. You SO know. There’s even talk that you two are a thing. Just tell me. What’s going on between you two?”
“W–What are you even saying? Me and Seo Dojun…”
“Hmm~ So his name is Seo Dojun?”
As Injoo giggled, Jooyeon realized she’d completely walked into a trap.
“Don’t say a word about Seo Dojun to anyone, got it?”
“You’re still coming to Brazil, right?”
“…Aren’t you being kind of ridiculous right now?”
“Unnie, please just help me out this once. Besides, it’s not like you’ve got anything going on here anyway. And hey, after taking the UK, why not conquer Brazil too?”
At this point, Jooyeon was someone who attracted attention no matter where she went.
Injoo figured helping out in Brazil would only boost her fame and reputation even further. That’s why she was so eager to rope her in.
“Conquer? What do I look like, a gang boss?”
“With that face? You’d be the prettiest gang boss ever—a beauty boss!”
As Injoo laughed her ass off, Jooyeon could only shake her head in exasperation.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Then, if I go public... what do I get out of it?”
At Dojun’s blunt question, Deputy Director Min Hong-gi couldn’t help but frown slightly.
He knew Dojun had that kind of personality—but he’d hoped, maybe with some people, it might be different.
“So you’re asking for compensation?”
The question came from Na Taehwang, Chairman of the Hero Association.
Dojun didn’t hesitate.
“It’s not someone else’s personal information. It’s mine. I don’t see why I should just give it up for free.”
“Then tell us what you want.”
Na Taehwang gestured for him to name his price.
Dojun didn’t hesitate for a second.
“Remove the commission fees on all mana stones I sell.”
“Just waiving the commission fees?”
“It would be better if the transactions themselves were anonymous.”
“Are you asking me to break the law?”
“I wouldn’t call it illegal—more like a preferential arrangement.”
“…‘Preferential arrangement,’ huh.”
Na Taehwang let out a dry, incredulous laugh.
“Hero Seo Dojun, if our Association is seen bending the law, that alone will be enough to spark massive controversy. We can’t afford to be branded as operating above the law.”
The Hero Association already had no shortage of critics who saw it as a threat or a ticking time bomb. If word got out that it was sidestepping legal protocols? Even if they framed it as a “special benefit,” it would blow up instantly.
Especially when it came to taxes—nothing stirred the pot more.Politicians and corporations alike would come running with pitchforks.
And it wouldn’t stop there. If this got out, every other S-rank hero would demand the same treatment. A-rank heroes would start grumbling, and eventually every hero under the sun would turn on the Association.
The public wouldn’t be far behind. The fallout was obvious.
“You’re asking too much.”
Na Taehwang said firmly, drawing a hard line.
“Then I’m out.”
As if the conversation was over, Dojun rose from his seat. Na Taehwang spoke up again, voice calm but edged with warning.
“Even if we don’t announce it, your identity will come out eventually.”
“Probably. But at that point, I won’t have any reason to speak with the Association again.”
“…Are you threatening me now?”
A chilling aura radiated from Na Taehwang’s eyes.
Most people only knew him as the chairman of the Hero Association. But Na Taehwang was also the first S-rank hero ever recognized in South Korea—the original Number One. That title was no empty honor.
“If you’re hearing it as a threat, then I have nothing more to say.”
Despite the suffocating pressure filling the room, Dojun didn’t flinch. He just grabbed the door handle to leave.
“Hero Seo Dojun!”
Deputy Director Min Hong-gi called out after him, unable to stay silent any longer.
“There won’t be any further contact between us either.”
Click.
Dojun left the room.
Min Hong-gi was left speechless—he hadn’t expected the conversation to end like that. Now he wasn’t sure what to do. But one thing was clear: they couldn’t agree to Dojun’s terms.
“…Hmm.”
Na Taehwang let out a low hum after a long silence. He didn’t show it, but his back was soaked in sweat.
‘If you’re hearing it as a threat, then I have nothing more to say.’
Only now did Na Taehwang realize the truth. The fear he’d felt in that moment was not directed outward—it was aimed solely at himself.
It was a pressure more intense than anything he’d felt from any monster.
Not even the strongest heroes—those who fought for the title of “world’s best”—had ever made him feel that kind of power gap. Dojun had exhibited perfect, terrifying control.
Even Min Hong-gi, sitting in the same room, hadn’t sensed a thing.
“Deputy Min.”
“Yes, sir?”
“This Hero Seo Dojun... no, never mind.”
Na Taehwang was about to ask how long it had been since Dojun awakened—just a few months, if memory served.
But as the question formed, it already felt absurd.
Whether it had been months or years, the sheer pressure Dojun had radiated rendered the timeline meaningless.
“Looks like I need to make a trip to the Blue House.”
“…Excuse me?”
Min Hong-gi was understandably baffled.
The moment the Blue House came up, he knew things were about to get serious.
＊ ＊ ＊
Dojun’s expression was anything but pleasant as he walked out of the Hero Association.
He’d avoided getting officially registered as a hero in the first place to steer clear of annoying complications like this.
It wasn’t that he regretted it now, but he could already tell this was going to be even more of a headache than he’d anticipated and the irritation was starting to bubble up.
“Well, it’s something I’ll have to deal with eventually anyway.”
If Eunyeong or his grandmother ever got dragged into this mess and ended up hurt, even Dojun couldn’t say how far he’d go.
Just as his mind began to spiral, his phone rang.
The name flashing on the screen: Choi, the Rich Bastard
“Ugh, what now…”
- Yo! Get your ass over here. Now!
And just like that, Choi Gang-su, who clearly hadn’t even ’heard’ of basic manners—hung up before Dojun could say a word.
Already in a bad mood, Dojun felt like gasoline had just been dumped on a smoldering fire.
“…That one needs a serious attitude adjustment.”
Grinding his teeth, Dojun flagged down a cab.
From Gangnam, where the Hero Association was located, to the hero district in Gasan, the ride took over an hour.
Seoul, already cramped compared to its population, had only gotten worse since the Rift crisis began.
Everyone was trying to relocate to “safer” areas, and now the city’s population had exploded past twenty million.
With that many people crammed into one place, the subway had become a living nightmare no matter the time of day. Roads were hopelessly congested—Seoul’s traffic was officially a disaster zone.
And, frankly, the same thing was happening in capital cities all over the world.
“You’re here? That was fast.”
Gang-su said, barely glancing up from his phone as Dojun stepped inside.
Still as rude as ever—not even a speck of basic decency in sight.
The first thing Dojun did as he walked up to him was—
Thwack!
He smacked Gang-su on the head with a flick of his finger.
“Guueeekk!”
As Gang-su howled and rolled his eyes back in dramatic agony, a satisfied smirk tugged at Dojun’s lips.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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