Chapter 24
<Bad Ending Maker Chapter 24>
The lawless city of Undertown.
An underground communal city dimly lit by gas lamps hanging like clusters of grapes. Even within this gloomy city lay a deeper, more sinister core. At the heart of tangled alleyways stood a shabby tin-roofed shack.
“…….”
A man in an ash-gray patchwork coat stood before the shack. Pulling his hood low, he brushed his hand across the door’s surface—a crude wooden slab adorned with a serpent coiled around gold coins.
“……Found it.”
He’d come to the right place.
Ding.
The bell jingled as he entered.
Despite its ramshackle exterior, the shack’s interior overflowed with opulence. Shelves groaned under jewels, gold coins, and rare items.
“Welcome~! To Akasa’s Cash Exchange!”
A rotund man in round sunglasses—Akasa—shouted without turning from his ledger.
“Transactions in 100,000 won units. Deposits processed within one minute after verification.”
“…….”
“We handle items too! Quest gear, legendary weapons—just name it……”
As Akasa recited his script, the hooded man interrupted coldly:
“You’ve been hoarding enhancement stones lately.”
The voice was gravelly yet laced with lethal calm.
“……?!”
Akasa spun around as the man slowly lowered his hood.
“Got a reason, Akasa?”
“Uh……”
Adjusting his sunglasses, Akasa uttered hesitantly:
“Mr. Cain?”
“…….”
Cain’s wolfish features remained impassive beneath the hood.
Recognition dawned. Akasa burst into a forced grin.
“Wow, it really is you! Still clinging to this game?”
“…….”
“Last saw you a year ago! Thought you’d quit after ghosting everyone. Haha! Good to see you!”
Akasa’s cheer met Cain’s dust-dead eyes. Cold sweat trickled down Akasa’s spine.
‘Shit, why’s this psycho here?’
Undertown brimmed with crazies, but Cain stood apart—a bounty hunter who hunted bounty hunters. A PK-obsessed maniac. The Hunter Killer.
‘Why do I only get these monsters lately?’
First GM Minchul last week, now this? His luck had truly curdled.
Cain stepped closer with a growl.
“Answer. Why the stones?”
“No~ reason really~”
Akasa couldn’t mention Minchul’s tip. He chuckled nervously.
“Season 6’s dropping soon, right? Just speculating on price hikes.”
“…….”
“Plus I’ve got killer intuition! Like, bam—epic market sense, y’know?”
Cain abruptly shifted topics.
“Heard the news? GM Minchul got fired.”
“Obviously! Dude sucked at managing the game. Can’t believe he got axed though—”
Smack! Akasa suddenly clapped his hands.
“Oh right! You hated his guts, didn’t you?”
“……Not hate.”
Pfft.
Cain’s first smile revealed wolfish fangs—a chilling smirk.
“Loathe.”
“…….”
“Enough to kill him.”
Not mere game hostility. Real-world murderous intent radiated from Cain as he scanned Akasa.
“You were close to Minchul.”
Akasa jabbed a finger at himself, aghast.
“Me? Close? What crap are you spewing?”
“Top of GM’s blacklist. Most interactions with Minchul among all villains.”
“You mean when he sued me? Sure, technically ‘interactions’! Ugh—”
“He withdrew the lawsuit.”
Thud.
Cain advanced another step.
“Why? He could’ve made an example of you. Crushed all scammers.”
“I begged on my knees at their HQ! Why dredge this up now?!”
“I think you’re connected.”
Akasa’s smile twitched.
“That’s delusional—”
“Minchul got fired, and you suddenly buy stones—a item you’ve ignored for five seasons.”
Cain’s gloved hand tapped the counter.
“Odd, no?”
“…….”
“Easy conclusion: Minchul tipped you off about rising prices. Why? What’d you trade?”
Akasa maintained his grin as chills crawled up his spine with each word.
“Minchul needed off-record deals. And you… you supply everything in this game. Untraceably.”
“Damn, you’re writing fanfic now?!”
“Don’t mock my instincts.” Cain snarled.
“I’ve waited years to gut that bastard. I smell his stench on you.”
“…….”
“Don’t care about your deals. Just one thing.”
BANG!
Cain slammed the counter, eyes blazing.
“Talk.”
“About what?”
“Where is he?”
Cain knew: Minchul was hiding somewhere in-game.
Akasa’s mental abacus clicked.
Divulge? What’s the payoff?
Or protect Minchul?
No contest.
A washed-up PKer versus an ex-GM with all the game’s secrets? Obvious choice.
“WHERE?!”
Crunch!
Cain seized Akasa’s collar. The merchant’s friendly mask shattered.
“Let go.”
“What?”
“I said let go, motherfucker!”
Swish—!
A dagger flashed from Akasa’s reverse grip. Cain leaped back, evading.
Smoothing his crumpled collar, Akasa glared.
“You think I’m soft because I’m polite? Huh?”
“…….”
“Has-been pro gamer from Season 1—what was it? Runner-up?—strutsin here like he’s hot shit…”
Snap!
Akasa flicked his fingers. Three hulking users barged in—his 90th-level maxed bodyguards.
“Can’t even compete anymore, so you bully randos? Pathetic.” Akasa twirled his dagger.
“But hey, for old times’ sake—leave now, and I’ll spare your dignity.”
“…….”
Pfft.
Cain’s lips curled into a feral grin.
“Not runner-up.”
“Huh?”
“Season 1 Combat Tournament champion.”
Cain’s eyes glazed with bitter memory.
“My opponent cheated. Disgusting, petty tricks… He should’ve been disqualified.”
Hatred reignited in his gaze.
“But GM Minchul let it slide.”
“…….”
“Last chance. Where’s Minchul?”
Cain eyed Akasa and the three brutes calmly.
“No answer? You all die.”
Crack.
Akasa’s patience snapped.
“Fuck your posturing, you relic!”
“CRUSH HIM!”
The bodyguards charged. Axes, maces, and Akasa’s dagger lunged simultaneously—
—as Cain laughed like a demon.
“Perfect.”
Shiiing!
A nodachi longer than a man’s leg slid from his waist.
Gripping the blade, Cain roared like a beast:
“PK’s the only fun left in this shitty game—!”
Minutes later.
Click.
Cain sheathed his bloodied nodachi.
Three bodies littered the wreckage—one embedded in shattered shelves, another crashed through the door, the last headfirst in floorboards.
“Huff… huff…”
Akasa sat slumped, HP nearly zero. His trembling eyes met Cain’s.
“Fucking… monster…”
Four max-level players—all PK veterans—utterly destroyed.
Cain casually drank a potion and crouched before him.
“Talk. Where’s Minchul?”
“…….”
“Keep quiet, and I’ll hunt you forever. Destroy every shop. Ruin your in-game life.”
Cain tapped Akasa’s chin with a gloved finger.
“You know I’ll do it.”
Sweat drenched Akasa’s back.
“Bastard…”
“But for old times’ sake…”
Shing!
Cain pressed half-drawn steel to Akasa’s throat.
“Final question: Where’s GM Minchul?”
