The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Chapter 101

“So, this is... Babylon’s base, right?”

“Yes...! That’s correct, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo.”

On the outskirts of Yongin, in an abandoned industrial complex.

Kang Hyunsoo sipped on his iced Americano as he casually surveyed the area.

Overgrown weeds, rusted iron gates, and shattered windows created an eerie atmosphere, yet he appeared entirely unfazed.

The one who seemed tense was Choi Jiwoo, standing beside him.

In response to Kang Hyunsoo’s question, she bashfully looked at the ground before quickly lifting her head to answer.

From above, where he was concealed, Swallow adjusted his sunglasses and commented.

- She's blushing so much. Back then, she didn’t seem to fancy you that much, but now that Master has gotten ridiculously handsome, her feelings have grown significantly.

Hmm? I know I’ve gotten better looking, but is it really to that extent? Maybe she’s just nervous because this is Babylon’s base.

- Master’s current appearance is that impactful. Besides, while this may be Babylon’s base, I heard almost all of them were caught in Paju. It’s far too quiet for any remnants to be hiding here.

Although Choi Jiwoo kept her gaze down, her usually stoic and professional demeanor didn’t seem noticeably different to Kang Hyunsoo.

However, something did feel off.

For one, she couldn’t seem to meet his eyes directly. And if she were nervous about Babylon, she would have already drawn her weapon for caution.

If she were truly concerned about remnants of Babylon, she would’ve unsheathed her rapier and been on alert. Instead, she walked quietly, hands clasped in front of her.

Kang Hyunsoo and Swallow’s suspicions were, in fact, correct.

Internally:

‘This is so strange. Why am I acting like this? I can’t even look him in the eye!’

Choi Jiwoo was trembling at the sight of Kang Hyunsoo.

It had been so long since she felt this way that her nerves were overwhelming her.

She was more jittery now than when facing the boss monster of an S-rank dungeon.

And as for Babylon’s base...

“This way, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo.”

“Hm? You know the way?”

“Oh, did I not mention it? Actually, this is my second time searching this area.”

“Your second time?”

They had already conducted an initial search.

Choi Jiwoo’s voice wavered slightly as she continued.

“The first time was right after the Babylon remnants were interrogated. The Hunter Bureau Chief personally led the operation, and I joined later as backup.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Today’s search is just a follow-up to make sure nothing was overlooked, so you don’t need to be too tense.”

When Choi Jiwoo proposed this follow-up search, Go Kyungseok had said it wasn’t necessary.

But Choi Jiwoo insisted.

Her real motivation was meeting Kang Hyunsoo. She fabricated a reason and minimized the team size to ensure it was just the two of them.

The remnants of Babylon had already been dealt with during the first search led by Go Kyungseok, so there was no need to worry about them.

For Choi Jiwoo, this was a date disguised as a mission.

And that’s exactly how this search felt.

Clang!

Even as they walked past deserted streets and into a pitch-black abandoned factory, Choi Jiwoo’s demeanor showed no signs of tension or vigilance.

“This is it. Babylon’s members said this was their base.”

“It’s similar to the research lab beneath Jaewon University.”

“Yes, the experimental subjects have already been transferred to the Hunter Bureau. You can just walk with me and check if we missed anything.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Together, they strolled through the abandoned factory lined with glass tubes.@@@@

At the threshold, Choi Jiwoo bowed her head slightly, expressing her gratitude.

“Thank you for accompanying me. Thanks to you, we completed the mission safely without any danger.”

“It’s already over?”

“Yes, since we’ve already been here once, I only checked the necessary areas. I figured you must be busy, so I didn’t want to take up too much of your time.”

“That feels a bit anticlimactic. Well... there’s still plenty of time left. How about we grab a meal? My treat.”

“A meal...?”

“Yes. You helped me with the summoning orb incident. It’s not much, but I think it’s only right to treat you to a meal as thanks.”

“Oh, no, no! If anything, I should be treating you. You saved me from Ji Wonhoon, after all. And the Hunter Bureau owes you a lot too.”

“Then let’s take turns. I’ll go first today.”

“Ah, I feel so guilty now...”

Kang Hyunsoo swiftly concluded the conversation and pushed the factory door aside.

Such discussions often dragged on endlessly if not resolved quickly.

However, just as he and Choi Jiwoo were about to leave Babylon’s base, bickering lightly—

- Um...? Master, sorry to interrupt, but there’s something on the floor.

Swallow, who had been following silently in stealth mode, spoke with a puzzled tone.

“Something on the floor?”

- Yes, your footsteps sound different here compared to other areas. It’s faint, but it feels hollow underneath.

Hearing Swallow’s observation, Kang Hyunsoo stopped just before exiting.

Choi Jiwoo, noticing his hesitation, tilted her head in confusion.

“Is something wrong, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo?”

“Hold on a moment.”

Answering her, Kang Hyunsoo knelt down on one knee.

And then—

[Activate]

[Projection (C)]

Boom!

Using the minimal force of a projection blast, he cleared the dust covering the ground.

“This is...!”

“Looks like the saying ‘hiding something in plain sight’ fits perfectly here. To think they’d hide this right at the entrance...”

A hidden passage with a handle was revealed beneath the concrete floor.

Kang Hyunsoo grasped the handle and pulled it upward, uncovering a staircase leading underground.

This was something even the Hunter Bureau had failed to uncover.

But before they could descend, Choi Jiwoo stopped Kang Hyunsoo.

“Wait a moment, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. We should report this to headquarters and request backup.”

“Request backup?”

“Yes, we don’t know what’s down there. If we go in alone, it could be dangerous.”

Her caution was justified. In such situations, rash actions were unwise.

However—

- Master, there could be something related to your Beauty talent down there.

Standing still wasn’t an option either.

Considering that Ji Wonhoon had a fragment tied to Beauty, Swallow’s suggestion wasn’t entirely out of the question.

And as if to confirm their suspicions—

[You have discovered a clue to a hidden altar.]

[Emergency Quest granted.]

[Emergency Quest]

[Follow the clue to discover the hidden altar (0/1).]

A quest appeared, one unlike anything Kang Hyunsoo had encountered before.