"It's good to see you again, Loki-ssi," said Sergeant Han.
"Same here, Sergeant Han." Loki's gaze slid past him to the woman at his shoulder.
Catching it, Han handled the introductions.
"Let me introduce Captain Kang. She is the acting commander in Ashen Hollow."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Captain Kang Sieun," the woman said, offering a hand. "Special Measures Unit, Ashen Hollow (SMU-AH)."
Loki took it. "It's a pleasure, Captain Kang."
Up close, she read like a blade hung on a wall. Inky-black crop, ice-blue eyes that held without blinking. Two pale scar lines, one on her left cheek and the other passing her eye, did nothing to blunt her beauty.
She wore brushed-steel pauldrons with restrained engraving and a matte-black cuirass cinched tight through the ribs, belts neat. The fit stayed functional rather than ornamental, yet it couldn't hide that she was generously built through the chest, a natural fullness she carried without fuss, balanced by a strong back and core. On the bottom, she had tactical trousers and greaves. A battle-hardened beauty built for decisive work.
'Can't believe I am meeting another big shot,' he thought.
Sieun's eyes flicked once to the leaderboard, then back.
"I have been hearing your name all morning. People are talking about you in every quarter of town," she said with a small smile.
"You adapted so fast to all this, killed multiple bosses solo. Frankly, it has already turned into a kind of legend."
Loki took it without changing line.
"It was nothing special. I just got lucky."
"Surely you jest," she said mildly. "I have seen those monsters and fought them. You do not kill them with luck. Which is why I need to ask, just what did you do in the real world?"
She kept the smile, but the air tightened.
Loki met it with the same calm.
"Nothing special. I just did a lot of sports."
Her mouth tipped, not quite a smile.
"Sports? What kind? Please elaborate. I have served in the military for years and can barely take on two normal mobs. Meanwhile, you are killing bosses solo after 'just sports.'"
"Captain Kang, is there a misunderstanding between us for you to be this… inquisitive?" Loki asked, tone even.
"Oh, nothing like that." She lifted a palm. "It is only that the same rumor keeps finding me from different mouths. That you are an assassin for hire in real life or some crazy murderer. Since I am responsible for the order here, I would prefer to see your face, or better, meet you outside. Just to confirm the truth about these rumors."
Loki understood the angle.
'Which bastard started this rumor?', he wondered.
"You don't have to worry about me being an assassin, Captain Kang." His tone stayed even. "I am just a little more athletic and know some game logic, so I adapted to all this quickly. The rest was taken care of by my high-tier class."
"Is that so? Good to hear. Still, may I take a quick look?"
"I must decline." He kept the refusal courteous. "There is nothing to fear from me, Captain. I am a normal civilian."
The little pause that followed was not quite silence, more a measured breath. She kept the smile, and Loki watched the way it sat on her face.
'Personally, I would not like to offend someone who would hold an important military position, but I have no choice, ' Loki thought.
Han stepped in before the line frayed.
"Captain, Loki-ssi is a decent man. He saved me and my team when we were all about to die, and sold high-tier equipment at a fair rate when he had no reason to do so. He is a decent person from what I have seen."
Sieun let the moment pass, then laughed lightly and opened her hands.
"Hahaha, relax, I am just teasing. I just had to ask to make sure he was not dangerous. If Sergeant Han vouches, that is enough. Besides, who would believe such stupid rumors about assassins?"
'No, that's exactly what you just did, ' both thought
She let the topic go without fuss and shifted to business.
"But I do admit you are very capable. Want to work with the government? I can make that happen easily. You would have support, resources, and structure."
Loki did not even think for a second and answered.
"I prefer to move alone, so I would like to decline your offer. But if you need equipment, information, or my help, I would be glad to provide it. For a price of course."
"That is agreeable." She nodded.
"On that topic, do you have items to sell now? Gauntlets or daggers would be ideal."
"I do," he said, then paused as Haeun crossed his mind again.
"Since I had a previous commitment to these, I can't sell them to you. Someone is on the way to take my stock. I will pass it to her, and you can buy through her."
Sieun studied him for a second.
"If that is how you prefer to handle it, fine."
Loki thought for a bit and then reached into his ring and drew a pair of forearm-to-fingertip combat gauntlets.
"Take this as goodwill, Captain Kang. You cannot equip them yet, but consider it a future tool."
Han's eyebrows climbed as he saw the make. Sieun turned the pair in her hands, measuring.
[Regal Talons — Rare]
Attack +40, +3 STR, +3 CON
Required Level 4
Warrior only
"Are you sure?" she asked. "This is quite high tier from what I heard."
"Treat it as respect and a bet on future business," he said.
She put on a serious face.
"Mister Loki, is this perhaps...a bribe?"
'Ah, it does look like that now that she mentions it.'
"That is not what I meant—"
"Thank you," she said, smiling for real this time, and tucked the gauntlets away. "I will remember the gesture."
Loki exhaled inwardly, knowing she was just joking.
'She is a pain to deal with.'
"Captain," Han said gently, "we should get back."
"Of course." Sieun glanced back at Loki as she was leaving.
"I will be seeing you, Mister Loki. If you change your mind about that job, I remain single, and our HR is very fast." Her tone was warm enough to read as banter.
"A very tempting offer, but I still would prefer to move alone," he said, deadpan, which only made her smile.
Han dipped his chin and followed her.
'This is good,' Loki thought. First, I got to meet Haeun, and now Sieun. If I can build clean connections, then it would be ideal for the future.'
In the near distance, a woman in heavy armor moved through the flow with purpose.
"Mr. Loki," Minjoo called, lifting a hand. "I came as fast as I could."
She reached him, a little out of breath.
"Let us see what you have, Mr. Loki."
Loki opened the ring and began to lay out the world.
Minjoo's eyes went wide. "So many rares," she breathed, looking from the items to him.
'Just what is this man?'
"Anything wrong?" Loki asked when she kept staring.
"Ah, no. Nothing. Only… I do not think I have enough TLE to buy everything today."
Loki thought for a moment. "Then take everything, sell it, and settle the TLE after. Can I trust you to do that?"
"Of course, Mister Loki," she said with Relief and determination both.
"Good. Call a few people and split the load into your inventories."
"Right away, sir," Minjoo said and hurried off at a run.
'After this, I can test Greed's Touch,' he thought, and felt that small, clean thrum of anticipation return.
"I am telling you he is an assassin in real life for sure."
A voice fell on Loki's ear.
"It's only a matter of time before he gets tired of monsters and starts going after people."
Loki turned towards the voice and saw a fat guy yapping away.
'That fat bastard, ' cursed Loki and vanished.