Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Kang Dayoung.

A Diamond-rank assassin player, while not as renowned as Night Hunter Park Jinwook, she was still among the upper echelons of Diamond rank.

She was also the personal secretary to Lee Yujeong, the heir to Holy Trinity, an indication of her stellar administrative and operational skills.

But now,

“Why are you here, secretary Kang?”

In an arena facility linked to Chairman Lee Suncheol and Zhang Liqiu, one that even Kim Muyeol, who was somewhat friendly with both, knew nothing about?

Shimun wasn’t the only one taken aback.

“That’s what I’d like to ask you. How did you find your way here, Shimun-ssi? And…”

She trailed off, glancing at the wall from which Shimun had appeared.

‘How could he break through that wall? There’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed something that massive.’

As a Diamond-rank assassin, she possessed senses sharper than that of the average beast. Being in the upper rankings, she also had the S-rank trait Agility.

Despite that, she had failed to notice such a large passage being formed. Discussing this as she surreptitiously considered, ‘I thought it was another monster…’

The reason she had thrown the knife without confirming her target was due to this assumption.

She hadn’t imagined that anyone could dig a tunnel and appear without a sound in such a deeply constructed facility. Then, her gaze shifted slightly.

‘Wait. Is this even a tunnel? It looks like a door.’

The door behind Shimun, crafted to appear as though it were a part of the wall from the beginning, stood there naturally.

Yet, the black tunnel stretching behind it was starkly different from the high-tech construction of the facility.

‘What on earth…’

As her curiosity grew exponentially,

“I’m here for a personal investigation.”

Shimun’s voice came through.

“An investigation?”

Kang Dayoung raised an eyebrow.

An investigation, here, so close to the demilitarized zone?

Her gaze turned cold.

“You seem to know quite a bit, Shimun-ssi.”

“I don’t know the details. Just that this is an unregistered facility of Holy Trinity’s.”

“And how did you know this is an unregistered facility?”

“Lee Yujeong told me.”

“She did?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. Of course, Kang Dayoung was perplexed.

‘I haven’t reported anything about this matter yet.’

She couldn’t recall ever briefing Lee Yujeong about the facility in Cheorwon. How could Lee Yujeong know about it?

Her question was soon answered.

“Yes. According to Lee Yujeong, it’s a facility related to arena materials.”

“A facility for material production? Ah… so that’s what she’s been told.”

Kang Dayoung seemed to grasp the situation now, nodding to herself. Shimun watched her silently.

‘Actually, it was the information from the Continental’s moderate faction, which Choi Changwook brought before the national special match, that led Lee Yujeong to tell me about it.’

Before he went to the National Special Match,

Choi Changwook, Kim Muyeol’s loyal aide, had informed him that the Continental had let slip info about a facility related to mutated civilians with dragonic power, which was located in Cheorwon.

Upon hearing this, Lee Yujeong had revealed to Shimun about Holy Trinity’s unregistered arena facility in Cheorwon.

‘But isn’t Kang Dayoung quite close with Lee Yujeong? Why does she act as though Lee Yujeong shouldn’t know about this place?’

When they met at Galaxy Agora, they seemed more than just professional acquaintances—they appeared genuinely close.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Lee Yujeong with Secretary Kang recently.’

At first, he assumed they were both busy, but now he realized it wasn’t the case.

‘It seems Kang Dayoung has been conducting her own independent investigations.’

It appeared she reported the minimum necessary information.

This likely wasn’t due to a strained relationship.

‘More likely, they only share information once it’s certain.’

Sure enough,

“Lee Yujeong’s words are correct. This place is an unregistered Holy Trinity facility for arena materials.”

Kang Dayoung nodded and added, “On the surface, at least.”

Her gaze sharpened suddenly.

‘Ah, so it’s like that.’

Shimun had a rough idea of what was going on but played ignorant.

“On the surface?”

“Yes. It was quite a challenge to locate this place. While I expected it to be well-hidden, I didn’t think they’d only obscure the signage.”

Kang Dayoung continued, her eyes scanning the dim interior with dissatisfaction.

“Superficially, this is indeed an arena material facility as Holy Trinity’s internal documents state. However…”

“In reality, it’s different?”

“Yes. Though, even if Lee Yujeong-nim had known the true nature of this unregistered facility, she wouldn’t have been able to do much about it.”

Shimun nodded at Kang Dayoung’s explanation.

‘Even as Holy Trinity’s heir and a ranker, Lee Yujeong is still in her early twenties.’

It wasn’t a matter of underestimating her youth. Every major corporation had its own skeletons in the closet. Furthermore, wasn’t she already constantly clashing with her grandfather, Lee Suncheol?

Even if Lee Yujeong had known about Holy Trinity’s unregistered facility, there would have been little she could do.

“From what I’ve investigated so far, they’re involved in activities that could shake the very foundation of Holy Trinity Group if exposed.”

“For example… conducting experiments deserving of condemnation?”

“How, how do you know that?”

Kang Dayoung’s eyes widened in shock at Shimun’s deduction. It wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

‘This information isn’t even in Holy Trinity’s highest-level confidential files!’

Even the internal records of Holy Trinity Group, those classified at the highest level, contained no mention of the experiments being conducted here.

‘It took me months, risking everything, to uncover this!’

It wasn’t without reason that she had spent months digging up this intel. How did Kim Shimun know about it?

As her eyes gradually filled with astonishment, “I have my own sources of information.”

Shimun replied with a subtle smile. Thankfully, this seemed to be a plausible explanation.

“An information source… Right, that’s not out of the question.”

Kang Dayoung quickly regained her composure and nodded.

‘Lee Yujeong mentioned that the growth buffs of the Yggdrasil Guild were his doing.’

After becoming Lee Yujeong’s personal secretary, like many assassination players, Kang Dayoung had minimized her arena participation, focusing her skills on real-world applications.

Despite that, the ripples caused by Shimun’s actions frequently reached her ears. Given the circumstances, it wasn’t surprising that he had a network for information gathering.

“Shimun-ssi, you’re spot on. The façade of an arena production facility is just a cover. The real purpose here is human experimentation.”

“Human experimentation?”

“Yes. And not just simple clinical trials or drug injections. The reason I attacked you earlier was because…”

Kang Dayoung’s words trailed off. Without a moment’s hesitation, she swung her dagger behind her.

Schwing!

A small crescent slash followed the dagger’s arc, but the blade’s aura, sharp and distinct, sliced through the air violently, proving her status as a Diamond-rank player.

The ability to emanate blade aura was available starting from the high Platinum rank. Then,

Clang! Clang!

A sharp metallic noise erupted, akin to metal clashing against metal. Amazingly,

“Kieeeek!”

A massive figure, about 3 meters tall, blocked Kang Dayoung’s blade aura with its body. As the blade aura dissipated,

“Kieee…”

The hulking figure exhaled a dense breath, not even a drop of blood spilled. The only sign that the aura had any effect were a few scales dropping from its body. Seeing it still standing strong,

“Damn it!”

Kang Dayoung cursed under her breath. She threw out her blade aura a couple more times before turning around.

“That’s one of the test subjects! We need to retreat. It won’t even get a scratch unless you use full-force energy…”

Just as Kang Dayoung tried to pull Shimun away urgently, she found herself being pulled back instead. As expected of a Diamond-rank assassin, she spun her body in the direction Shimun pulled, retreating to the rear.

Whoosh.

Simultaneously, a viscous green liquid melted into the spot where she had been standing.

Sizzle!

Without even glancing at the acid, Kang Dayoung looked at Shimun.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Shimun shrugged lightly and looked towards where the acid had come from. There too, stood a 3-meter tall figure.

“Kieee!”

The difference from the previous one was significant:

Rather than a reptilian head, it had a split, four-part mouth that spewed the corrosive acid.

Slurp.

Moreover, the peculiar cries of the creatures grew in number.

“Kieee.”

“Kiaaak!”

From the sound alone, Shimun estimated there were easily over ten of them. Kang Dayoung hastily grabbed Shimun’s wrist.

“We need to move! Facing a few might be possible, but that many is beyond us!”

She had already fought several test subjects before encountering Shimun.

“Even if you cut them with full-force energy, they regenerate faster than trolls. Ignoring them and finding another route is our best option!”

She presented the optimal choice she could think of. However, “Secretary Kang, please relax.”

“Huh?”

Shimun gave her an enigmatic smile.

Swish.

He gently let go of her hand and walked towards the creatures. Beyond the fact that Shimun was a Platinum rank, ‘Isn’t he a mage? How did he…’

Kang Dayoung was momentarily stunned by how easily he shrugged off her grip.

Yet, “Kneel.”

Thud.

A scene unfolded before her, one that defied belief. They all knelt, every single creature.

“Wh-what the hell!”

She exclaimed in shock.

*

Click-clack.

Footfalls echoed through a dim corridor.

Followed by, heavier, almost inhuman footfalls that caused minor tremors.

Thud.

As she followed the source, a woman with a ponytail, Kang Dayoung sighed, staring at the broad back ahead.

“Ha…”

Eventually, her face twisted as she spoke.

“How did you do it?”

“How did you do it?”

She glared at the handsome man who echoed her exact words.

The handsome man’s grin widened, “I’m not mocking you. I just had a feeling you’d ask that again, so I decided to say it first.”

“… How many times have I asked now?”

“Four times so far.”

Shimun counted on his fingers, making Kang Dayoung let out a dry laugh.

Had it only been about ten minutes?

In that short span, she had asked the same question no less than four times.

“And each time, I responded, ‘It’s just my trait.’”

“Ha…”

Despite hearing the same answer four times, Kang Dayoung’s expression remained tense. Understandably so.

‘How can anyone turn those incomprehensible monsters into obedient pets? How can I not be curious?’

The test subjects that even she, a Diamond-rank assassin, struggled against. Handling such creatures, which were tough enough to require full-force attacks and regenerative powers that kicked in the moment they were cut, with just a few words.

How could she not be intrigued?

Moreover, “This is the right way, isn’t it?”

“Of course. M249? We’re heading towards the research lab, right?”

The test subjects were now guiding them to the very research lab she had been desperately searching for.

“Kieek.”

The test subject nodded like a tame animal. Amazingly, this particular test subject, known as M249, had even communicated its designation to them.

‘Of course, all it did was make those hissing sounds…’

Yet this enigmatic man could perfectly understand and translate that gibberish.

“Phew…”

Kang Dayoung brushed her forehead roughly. She had witnessed too many unreal things in just ten minutes.

Just as she was steadying her breath, “Kieek.”

The test subject, M249, stopped at a door. Shimun immediately moved past it towards the doorway, and Kang Dayoung, like a handler maneuvering past a subdued beast, followed closely behind.

“Shimun-ssi? The door is open?”

She addressed him with caution, feeling an odd sense of detachment as she passed by the eerily calm M249.

“Yes. There’s a digital lock, but it’s open.”

Shimun pointed to the door lock. It was evident that the door required iris, fingerprint, and passcode verification. Yet the research lab door was ajar, like an unattended building.

“No way!”

Kang Dayoung’s face turned pale with alarm. The meticulous, always-cautious Diamond-rank assassin she usually was had completely vanished. She urgently slipped through the partially open door.

And then, she let out a deep sigh.

“Oh no…”

The reason was clear:

‘They’ve already cleared everything out.’

What could barely be called a research lab looked desolate. All that remained were a few shattered glass tubes and scattered papers indicating it had once been a research facility, but that was it.

There didn’t seem to be anything salvageable.

Indeed, “Damn it!”

Bang!

Kang Dayoung slammed the table as she rummaged through the remaining documents and computers. Meanwhile, Shimun, who had already entered the lab, activated Odin’s Eye to scan the surroundings.

‘Hmm… looks like they cleared up a while ago.’

The structures and information around the lab came into view, but they were all useless, just like inactive machines.

Shimun watched as Kang Dayoung continued to search with destructive fervor.

“Did you find anything in the computers?”

“No. They took the memory, CPU, and even the motherboard. The ones that are working are just secondary.”

Kang Dayoung bit her nails in frustration. Even so,

Bang, bang!

“Please, something, anything! I’ve worked and suffered for months for this!”

She didn’t stop her destructive search. Shimun approached her.

“Secretary Kang, calm down. It’s not like we got nothing.”

“What are you talking about?”

Kang Dayoung turned around, confused by his words. Shimun flashed a smile and gestured towards the entrance of the lab with a nod of his head.

“Remember our guide?”

Kang Dayoung turned around as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

Shimun smiled and gestured with his chin towards the entrance of the lab.

“Kieek.”

With heavy footsteps, the 3-meter-tall reptilian figure, M249, entered the room. Seeing M249, Kang Dayoung’s previously desolate expression brightened up.

“That’s right! We still have him!”

Not to mention, there were others like M16, M24, and plenty of evidence waiting back where she and Shimun first met. However, her enthusiasm was short-lived.

‘But they’re just test subjects. They can’t provide solid evidence for the incident from 10 years ago.’

Lee Yujeong’s directive to her was to uncover the truth behind the incident from 10 years ago. While she had tracked down this facility in the process, she had found no relevant data to connect it to that incident.

At that moment, “Ho ho, this is quite surprising.”

A middle-aged man’s voice echoed in the room. Kang Dayoung quickly moved to slash her dagger towards the source.

But,

Thud.

A white, sturdy hand caught her wrist.

It was Shimun.

A Platinum-rank mage catching a Diamond-rank assassin’s attack with one hand?

There was no time to be amazed. Shimun silently shook his head.

“You are Secretary Kang Dayoung, aren’t you? Odd. You mentioned Lee Yeonhee…”

The middle-aged man, donning a white coat, with graying hair and beard, appeared out of nowhere.

His left arm and right leg were missing, and he tilted his head in puzzlement. Kang Dayoung understood why Shimun stopped her only after seeing the middle-aged man.

“An illusion spell?”

“You catch on quickly. As a scientist, I must say holograms are cumbersome compared to this.”

The middle-aged man let out a trivial laugh, unlike Kang Dayoung.

“But.”

He turned his gaze towards Shimun, who maintained a calm demeanor.

“This is an unexpected guest.”

“You recognize me?”

“Who wouldn’t know you in Korea? Besides, you’re someone I’ve been personally eager to meet.”

“Me?”

Shimun tilted his head, puzzled, and the middle-aged man nodded.

Well, it was more accurate to say his illusion nodded.

“Precisely. I’m Dr. Choi Woosuk, the head researcher here. And…”

Even if it’s just an illusion, his eyes couldn’t hide the intense desire they held.

“I’m very interested in your transformation ability.”