Episode 21: The Case of the Bored S-Rank Hunter’s Abduction

“Yawn.”

Tae Yiseo was unusually bored today.

She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she had binge-watched all the dramas she’d been saving up, switching day and night for several days, and now there were no more left to watch. Or perhaps it was because she’d devoured every comic, webtoon, and webnovel she could find, even while eating chicken and pizza every night despite having hearty meals. Either way, she had nothing left to consume.

Having burned through two-thirds of her vacation in a way even high schoolers wouldn’t, Tae Yiseo was experiencing a slight moment of clarity.

Come to think of it, she had no appetite today.

Perhaps this sudden clarity and the accompanying slump were why she felt this way.

She needed something to whet her appetite.

And then it hit her.

A hundred meters from her base, Taejongdae Convenience Store, there was another convenience store that sold soft-serve ice cream.

She knew.

This was an act of betrayal against her family’s business.

But,

‘Chocolate and vanilla swirl is the best.’

This betrayal had been ongoing for a long time.

With that, Tae Yiseo hurried to get ready to go out.

As if she’d never had a moment of clarity.

“By the way, these are really awesome.”

In her hand was a pair of large horn-rimmed glasses.

They were Tae Ihyun’s glasses, but lately, Tae Yiseo had been using them more often.

“They’re the perfect item for going out without makeup or a shower.”

This spoke volumes about her current state.

With her training suit and large horn-rimmed glasses, she snuck past Taejongdae Convenience Store without her dad noticing and happily headed to her destination.

‘Forgive this unworthy daughter, Father. But we did sing praises about getting a soft-serve machine, and you ignored us.’

The woman who betrayed her family’s business had just obtained what she wanted.

“Chocolate vanilla swirl, right? Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Happily receiving her soft-serve ice cream, Tae Yiseo sat on a nearby playground bench and licked it with delight.

“A woman who betrays her family for a soft-serve ice cream, that’s me.”

Remembering the martial arts novel she finished recently, Tae Yiseo chuckled.

From afar, she looked like a typical unemployed guy.

Who would think this woman was ‘Crimson Flame’?

“Mom, that lady’s weird. She’s laughing by herself.”

“Honey, just ignore things like that. They’re not good for you.”

People around her avoided her as if she were strange.

‘Let them think what they want.’

No one knew who she was, so there was no problem.

Before she knew it, she had finished her soft-serve ice cream.

“Ah, the weather’s great. I just want to keep playing. Forever.”

Playing never got old and was always refreshing.

But in a few days, Tae Yiseo would have to return to work.

Thinking about her dwindling vacation made her sigh, but she couldn’t just stay down.

Her vacation wasn’t over yet.

‘What should I do today?’

She had done almost everything she planned for her vacation, so she had nothing left to do.

Maybe she overdid it.

“Isn’t there anything fun to do?”

Something fresh and unprecedented!

That’s when it happened.

Hmm?

Someone approached her.

When she looked up, four men in black suits and sunglasses surrounded her.

Who are these Men in Black?

And then,

“Miss, you’ll have to come with us.”

“…Huh?”

Wow.

It was a line straight out of a movie or drama.

But was that line really directed at her?

Tae Yiseo pointed at herself.

“Me?”

They locked arms with her as if resistance was futile and lifted her.

…What?

In an instant, Tae Yiseo was dangling.

Then,

Screech.

A car arrived on the road next to the playground, opened its trunk, and, “Huh?”

They tossed Tae Yiseo into the trunk and closed it.

The car roared to life and started driving.

Am I really being kidnapped right now?

This was beyond fresh; it was shocking.

S-Rank Hunter Crimson Flame, kidnapped by unknown thugs while secretly eating ice cream at a playground.

But… why am I a little excited?

Who set up this event for me?

Surely, Dad didn’t send these guys, right? That would be too much…

* * *

Family chat room named [Love and War].

Me: I just got kidnapped.

Cocky Youngest: By whom this time? You were squealing on the couch about being kidnapped by Timothée Chalamet just a week ago.

Backslap Master: Didn’t your mom tell you to stop watching dramas and movies? How can you mess around like that, even if it’s vacation?

Me: …….

Cocky Youngest: But how are you texting if you’re kidnapped?

Me: Exactly. They didn’t even take my phone and just stuffed me in the trunk. Zero service spirit, seriously.

Remote Controller: Hahahahahahaha

Me: Dad, are you laughing? Your daughter just got kidnapped!

Remote Controller: Ahem. Sorry.

Cocky Youngest: So you’re saying this is real? Not a joke?

Me: I said it’s real, lol.

Cocky Youngest: OMG, are you okay?

Me: Me?

Cocky Youngest: Obviously, them.

Me: You wanna die?

Cocky Youngest: Hahaha. Awakened ones?

Me: Yeah, 100%.

Cocky Youngest: What rank?

Me: From what I saw, probably B or C rank.

Cocky Youngest: Wow, but why are you going along with it?

Me: I just thought I’d see where this goes.

Cocky Youngest: Go easy. Don’t kill them.

Me: Okay.

Backslap Master: Daughter, don’t hurt them too badly, okay?

Remote Controller: You’re grown up now, so handle your own messes.

Me: Okay, I got it!

Who are these people worried about?

Anyway, seriously… who are these guys?

Why me?

Tae Yiseo was getting curious.

What are they thinking? Do they know me? No, they can’t. If they did, they wouldn’t have done this.

Then…?

‘Hmm.’

No matter how much she thought about it, nothing came to mind.

She decided to just watch for now.

That’s when it happened.

Screech.

The car stopped, and the trunk opened with a thud.

The men, who had been fiddling with their phones, looked at Tae Yiseo staring at them and seemed dumbfounded.

“Look at this?”

“Wow, boss. She’s just playing with her phone instead of being scared.”

“Ha, we should’ve taken her phone first.”

“What if she reported us? If she tracked our location, that’d be a headache.”

“Don’t worry. They can’t track us here. The guild spent quite a bit to make it that way.”

A guild, huh? They were talking freely in front of Tae Yiseo, as if it didn’t matter if she knew their identity.

It seemed like they were going all out.

“She doesn’t seem to grasp the situation yet.”

One of the men, seeing Tae Yiseo’s lack of fear, gave a fierce smile.

“Let’s show her what’s going on.”

Soon, a black hood was placed over Tae Yiseo’s head.

* * *

“You awakened during a battle after staying in the military for a long time?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Wow, an A-rank. That’s pretty high for a late awakening.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

“Does the military still talk like that these days?”

“It’s just me.”

“Haha, I see.”

What a peculiar guy.

Mun Junghoo, the leader of Guardian Gate’s 7th squad, was welcoming a new recruit.

Guardian Gate’s recruitment process was stricter than other guilds.

They didn’t just recruit based on outstanding abilities.

They reviewed the individual’s history before and after awakening to ensure they were unlikely to cause social problems. There were a few exceptional cases, but not many.

But this new recruit was unusual.

“He specifically asked for the 7th squad?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Why? If you wanted, you could’ve joined the 2nd or 3rd squad, if not the 1st. Our 7th squad has a lot of work.”

“I’m a fan.”

“A fan?”

“Yes, of Captain Crimson Flame.”

“Hahaha. I see.”

“She’s pure, beautiful, strong, and my perfect ideal type.”

“…I see.”

Mun Junghoo suddenly felt very tired.

“By the way, is that rumor true?”

“Hmm?”

“The one about the Scorpion Guild’s leader making a move on the chairman a few years ago and getting thoroughly beaten.”

“Oh, I was there.”

“Wow! Really?”

The recruit’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“So what happened? I’m sure the chairman won, but did he use the famous Destruction Blade?”

“Oh, you use a blade, right?”

The recruit nodded enthusiastically.

“Seeing the famous Destruction Blade in action is one of my dreams. Haha.”

“I see. But he didn’t use it that day. The Destruction Blade. Or rather, there was no need to.”

“What? Then…?”

“He got thoroughly dealt with before that.”

Mun Junghoo smiled.

“He messed with the one person you should never mess with.”