HDAAD Chapter 166

Salt flinched at my call.

‘Kim Salt. What are you doing there?’

As I stared at Salt in disbelief, he slowly lowered his wings.

Then he collapsed onto the bed as if fainting.

“Tr-traitors! Stop them immediately!”

“How did they get here!”

“What are the soldiers doing! How could these scoundrels get this far without anyone stopping them!”

The ministers and king shouted belatedly upon noticing me, but how could the already dead soldiers come?

“What? Why is Salt there?”

“I don’t know. Kim Salt!”

As I approached Salt, who was pretending to be unconscious, the ministers blocked my way.

“How dare you! Do you know where this is!”

“Get lost.”

I picked up one of the ministers blocking me and threw him. With a shriek, the king and ministers pressed themselves against the wall.

On the bed where Salt was feigning unconsciousness, there were all sorts of jewels and nuts, and beside it was a table laden with incredibly lavish food.

‘So you forgot about me while playing and eating here.’

I let out an exasperated sigh, and Salt’s body, still pretending to be unconscious, twitched.

“Kim Salt. Are you going to keep pretending to be unconscious?!”

When I shouted in front of the bed, Salt suddenly got up and flew into my arms.

“You were having a great time here, forgetting all about your owner, weren’t you?”

“Beep.”

“You say you weren’t, but you were playing here? Shouldn’t you have come to me right away after getting separated from Myeong-ah?”

“Beep.”

I pressed Salt’s beak, who was saying he was sorry.

“You’re all talk, just talk. Where’s Haegeum?”

Since Salt was acting like a god here, if Haegeum had fallen with him, he would have been treated the same way. No, Haegeum might have been perceived as an even more amazing being since he could speak.

“Beep.”

‘Even you, Haegeum.’

I groaned at Salt’s words that Haegeum was playing in the pond in the rear garden.

While Salt had a history of abandoning me several times before, I didn’t expect Haegeum to do this too.

Unlike us having our not-so-happy reunion, there were others who were busy in various ways.

“Hey. You said we need to kill the king, right?”

“Yeah.”

At my and Taeju’s question, the ministers’ eyes moved busily.

‘Looks like they’re wondering if they might survive if they hand over the king.’

Their desperate attempts to survive were truly pitiful yet relatable.

This must be an illusion created by the tower, but how did they make it so much like real humans?

Clicking my tongue, I placed Salt on my head.

“Kill him quickly.”

“Okay.”

As if they had communicated with their eyes, the ministers who were protecting the king quickly scattered.

“Wh-what are you doing! Are you trying to sell me out to these traitors now?!”

“Shut up.”

Taeju frowned and swung his sword at the king who was calling for help.

Blood splattered, and the king’s head was severed in one stroke.

“What? I aimed for the chest though?”

“That’s because of the story. We need to throw the severed head at the altar where the rain ritual is performed. Hey, bring that here.”

“What?”

Taeju frowned as if he had heard something unbelievable.

“I just said it. We need to throw that.”

My nonchalant attitude seemed quite shocking to him. It’s funny how he’s surprised by this when he’s the one always swinging his sword around.

“Do I really have to carry it?”

“Yeah. Just grab it by the topknot.”

“Ugh.”

The guy who carried it without any problem in the novel now made a disgusted face and tried to grab the topknot using only his index finger and thumb.

“I’ll carry it.”

As if it wasn’t just me who found Taeju’s behavior unpleasant, Shin Sooha grabbed the topknot first and lifted the king’s head.

“Let’s go then.”

We walked towards the back of the rear garden.

“Beep beep.”

Ignoring Salt, who was saying he would do penance on my head for committing a mortal sin, we walked until we saw the altar for the rain ritual.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. Throw the head there and perform the rain ritual.”

“Aren’t you going to do it yourself?”

“No, I have something else to do.”

“But I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“There’s a ritual text on the altar. If you read it as it is, it will rain.”

I waved my hand to urge him to perform the rain ritual quickly, and walked against the water flow.

The pond was not far from where the rain ritual was being performed.

“Is this the right place?”

“Beep.”

I bent down to look into the pond.

Inside, Haegeum, transformed into a dragon, was swimming.

His swimming motions looked so joyful that I postponed calling him for a moment and sat down by the pond.

“I humbly pray to the spirits of heaven and earth.”

Shin Sooha’s voice could be heard from afar.

The last part of the story. The rain ritual.

***

[(Breaking News) Korean raid team clears 18th floor.]

[(Breaking News 1st report) Shin Sooha, Seo Taeju, Seo Go-woon. Cleared with 3 party members.]

[(Breaking News 2nd report) Party member addition for 19th floor still undecided. Mentioned need for discussion]

The man watching the continuously updating news threw his pad.

With a bang, the pad hit the wall, its screen cracking, and fell to the floor.

“Didn’t you say they wouldn’t be able to clear the 18th floor?”

“I have nothing to say.”

The man got up from his chair and slapped the trembling person’s cheek.

“Is that all you have to say to me?”

“I’m sorry.”

The person who was slapped knelt down and lowered his body as if begging the man.

“Enough. Get rid of him.”

“Just one more chance! Please give me one last chance! Just one more chance!”

Though his voice was desperate as he shouted while being dragged out by those waiting, the man didn’t even turn his head.

Soon after, a small iron door, not the room’s antique wooden door, opened.

The sound of the one being dragged out screaming in resistance disappeared as the iron door closed.

Clicking his tongue, the man pressed a button on the desk.

“Call Despair.”

-Yes.

A moment later, the wooden door opened and a woman entered, bowing politely to the man.

“I am in the presence of the great Destruction.”

“Has the number of believers increased?”

“Yes. So far, a total of 1,000 believers have joined.”

The man stroked his chin.

An increase in believers meant an increase in those who could stop hunters.

While 1,000 wasn’t a small number, it was ridiculously small on a global scale.

“We need to work harder.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“How many prepared personnel do we have?”

“Four in Korea, thirteen in the United States, and twenty-five in China.”

Destruction nodded with satisfaction.

Although the number of prepared personnel in Korea was small, when combined with other countries, it was enough to make a splendid announcement about the Cult of Destruction.

“Get them ready. We’ll announce our doctrine at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, understood.”

As the woman bowed to Destruction once more and left, another person wearing a white robe entered the room.

“I am in the presence of the great Destruction.”

Destruction smiled brightly and embraced the robed figure.

“I’m so glad to see you like this.”

“It is my honor to meet Destruction separately like this.”

Destruction laughed and took the hand of the white-robed figure, leading them to the sofa.

“What do you mean, honor? It is I who am more honored to meet someone like you, Hyun.”

The man called ‘Hyun’ by Destruction blushed and lowered his head.

“You gave us good information this time too, but we failed due to our inadequacy.”

“No, I should have given you more information about Seo Go-woon. It was my short-sightedness.”

Destruction laughed.

“How could that be your fault? It’s all due to my inadequacy. You’re doing very well.”

“No, that’s not true.”

As Hyun shook his head in denial, Destruction smiled kindly.

“Opening a new world is not an easy task.”

“I know. But that task…”

At Hyun’s compliant answer, Destruction knelt on one knee before him.

“Destruction!”

Hyun quickly stood up to raise Destruction, but Destruction just looked at him with pleading eyes.

“Hyun. I’m so sorry to say this as a leader.”

“Destruction.”

At the sorrowful voice, Destruction bowed his head.

“If we don’t kill Seo Go-woon, we have no future. How can we compensate for the lives of those who martyred themselves looking forward to a new world?”

As Hyun bit his lip, Destruction spoke sorrowfully.

“Everyone knows that the reason we can try again despite continued failures is because of you.”

“…Still.”

“Haven’t you been struggling all this time? Weren’t you the one who dreamed of a new world more than anyone else?”

“That’s… right.”

Destruction held Hyun’s hand tightly.

“They are not like moths that jump into a fire knowing it’s dangerous. Rather, they are a fire trying to burn everyone.”

As Hyun’s expression hardened, Destruction shed tears with sorrowful eyes.

“I know it’s a difficult and unreasonable request. But you are our only hope and light.”

“The only…”

“You are a hero to us.”

His hardened face softened and his cheeks turned red. Destruction stroked his hand and said,

“I told you about what will happen when the new world opens, didn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“When that time comes, we will all receive a token of glory. And the greatest token will be given to you, our hero.”

Hyun’s eyes gradually became dreamy as he listened to Destruction’s words.

“He…ro.”

“That’s right. You will become the hero who receives the greatest token.”

By now, the tears in Destruction’s eyes had stopped, and his face was full of a bright smile.

“Yes. I will become a hero.”

“I believe in you, Hyun.”

“Yes.”

As the dreamy look in his eyes cleared, Destruction’s smile also disappeared.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Leave it to me!”

Hyun answered vigorously, bowed to Destruction, and went out.

As Destruction watched him leave with a pleased expression, a man appeared behind him.

“Good work.”

It was Destruction’s secretary who had been invisible.

He handed over a wet towel and said,

“Since drugs aren’t enough, we have to do it this way.”

Destruction wiped his hands and threw the towel into the trash can.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that administering small doses of the drug, thinking he was a one-time use, would create resistance.”

Destruction sat on the sofa and said,

“It’s okay. Just being from Sunset Guild meant I needed to brainwash him personally. By the way, what happened to the American hunters?”

“They all died.”

“What about China and Russia?”

“China had five injured and two dead, Russia had six dead and one injured.”

Destruction nodded with satisfaction.

Currently, there are four raid teams that can clear up to the 20th floor of the tower.

They are the United States, China, Russia, and Korea respectively.

And now that three of them have been damaged, the only normal raid team left is Korea.

“I should have ended it then.”

“I’m sorry.”

Destruction waved his hand at the secretary’s apology.

“It’s fine. We just need to kill him for sure this time. Who delivered the poison?”

“Pelican delivered it.”

“There’s no antidote, right?”

“Yes. It’s a poison combining the venom of an SS-rank poison toad and an S-rank poison cactus, so it’s impossible to detoxify even with the highest-grade antidote potion.”

At the secretary’s report, Destruction closed his eyes and thought.

Soon, this tiresome relationship would come to an end.

***

“What? Why?”

Taeju gave me a puzzled look at my question.

“Aren’t you going home?”

“No, I mean, I should go. But did Shin Sooha really say I could go?”

It was Shin Sooha who brought me to this house even when we cleared the 18th floor.

I couldn’t believe that the guy who didn’t answer even when I raved about whether he still doubted me was letting me go so quickly after not much time had passed. If it was going to be like this, why did he bring me here in the first place?

“Yeah. He said you can go.”

“Why?”

I asked because I really couldn’t understand, and Taeju sighed.

“Stop asking why. So, are you not going?”

“No, I’m going, but…”

“Then hurry up and come out.”

I scratched my cheek as I watched Taeju turn away after saying only what he wanted to say.

I couldn’t understand why they were letting me go, and why that guy was so readily saying to go home.

‘I really can’t understand what these high-ranked hunters are thinking.’

“Beep beep.”

I nodded at Salt’s words asking if we were going home now.

“Yeah. We’re going.”

With Salt on my head and Haegeum in my pocket, I picked up Myeong-ah, who was sound asleep.

The time spent clearing the 18th floor felt very short, but in reality, a day had passed.

Perhaps it was too much to stay awake all day, as Myeong-ah had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as we came out.

“Let’s go now.”

As I came out holding Myeong-ah, unlike usual, the main gate was wide open.

“Get in.”

As we left the main gate, Taeju’s car was visible.

“Is it okay to leave without saying goodbye to Shin Sooha?”

“He’s been called to the Hunter’s Association, so he won’t be back today. Hurry up and get in. I’m busy today.”

‘Busy doing what when you have nothing to do.’

I got into the back seat with Myeong-ah.

“Oh, and we’re going to stop by the guild for a moment.”

“The guild?”

“Noona was looking for me.”