Chapter 07
Gogang scoffed as if utterly incredulous.
“I didn’t know On Jurim was so interested in Korea’s public safety. There are plenty of others who could go instead of you—”
But Jurim abruptly threw a blindfold at the director.
“I’m going.”
“-Go, you bastard. Go!”
When Jurim flung open the car door, the driver startled and looked back.
“Guild Master On!”
As Jurim stepped onto the road, the car screeched to a halt.
The driver, slamming the brakes in panic, turned to the back seat.
“Are you… okay—huh?”
Jurim was already gone. All that remained was the blaring of car horns behind.
The director shook his head in displeasure.
“Don’t worry about that monster. Just start driving.”
Following a support request, Jurim spotted the fleeing suspect and couldn’t hide his confusion.
“…?”
If what he saw was real, an ugly giant teddy bear was pedaling away on a toddler’s tricycle.
Perhaps due to its low vantage point, the bear didn’t notice Jurim and zoomed past sideways.
“….”
Jurim followed behind the tricycle for a moment, then pulled out his phone.
“This is On Jurim, responding to the support request. Is it correct that the fleeing suspect at the illegal trade scene is riding a toddler’s tricycle?”
Yes! That’s correct!
Really? That’s what they said?
Jurim, though suspicious, grabbed the teddy bear by the scruff of its neck. Immediately, the bear went limp, as if its power had been switched off.
He shook the bear, but it was just a doll—no hidden devices.
“Just a doll?”
Jurim frowned. A mysterious situation and a mysterious fugitive. He needed an explanation.
Holding the bear by its legs, Jurim looked toward the support team agent who had requested backup.
“Guild Master On! It’s an honor. I’m Agent Lee Min-woo.”
Jurim glanced past Lee Min-woo at Jang Young-woong, who was hesitantly handcuffed, and held up the bear.
“So… what is this?”
“It’s a fairly well-known Awakener merchandise distributor on Onion Market. Goes by IAMGROOT123.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes?”
But Lee Min-woo didn’t seem to know much more.
“Wow, it’s just a doll. No other devices, very meticulous. Judging by how prepared it is, they’ve probably made a lot of profit.”
Lee Min-woo examined the doll from all angles, continually impressed.
“Guild Master, could there be a backer behind this? Making a doll like this can’t be cheap.”
“Hmm.”
A backer, huh. Jurim studied the doll with a curious expression.
The traces of skill were still there. Normally, there would be anti-tracking measures—but if there was a backer, they were surprisingly sloppy.
The doll almost felt innocent for being found at a crime scene.
Jurim took the doll, holding it under one arm, and gestured past Lee Min-woo.
“Agent, go inside first. You should handle that first.”
“Oh, right. Yes. Thank you for the support. As for the doll…”
“I’ll check and deal with it, then bring it to the Awakener task force.”
Jurim opened his inventory and placed the doll inside, showing no room for argument.
The junior agent, seeing such S-class handling, could only fumble, removing his hat in respect.
“Yes, Guild Master On. I’ll leave it to you… I’ll go in first then.”
Lee Min-woo bowed repeatedly and left with Jang Young-woong.
After confirming they had gone, Jurim activated his extrasensory perception. Following traces of magic, he sensed the location sending a signal to the doll—not far away.
He read the sign of the building emitting the signal:
‘Milal Orphanage?’
Gru exhaled and turned off the old TV.
The screen had been shaking as if someone had grabbed it, so he quickly disconnected it.
He should have cut the connection the moment he saw the police. Panic got the better of him, and he ran.
Running a business sometimes leads to situations like this.
“Beep-beep is scary.”
Gru calmed his racing heart and got up. It was bedtime.
If he stayed longer, the caregivers might come looking, and they could discover he was secretly running a workshop in the storage room.
Then, some force lifted him, his legs dangling.
“Huh?”
Like the teddy bear whose scruff had been lifted, his field of vision swung as if suspended.
“…Han Gru?”
“Huh?”
Whose voice was that? Gru blinked, dangling in the air.
Flapping his arms and spinning, he saw a familiar face. Excited, Gru welcomed him.
“Guild Master!”
Jurim looked at the child’s joyful face, then glanced at the old warehouse that seemed to be the workshop.
Inside, traces of chaotic skill use were evident.
“Guild Master, did you come to see Gru?”
“….”
Jurim didn’t answer, carefully observing his surroundings.
Gru tilted his head in confusion—why did he look so serious?
“Guild Master, over there’s the bathroom.”
Gru pointed cheerfully.
Jurim, unsure why, ignored it and gently placed Gru on the desk.
“Han Gru, let’s be honest.”
Kneeling neatly, Gru nodded.
“Yes.”
Jurim opened his inventory and pulled out a partially made large teddy bear.
“This is yours?”
“Ah! It’s Gru’s, yes!”
Gru hugged the bear tightly, burying his face in its fluffy fur.
“Thank you for making it.”
“….”
The Guild Master’s expression didn’t change. Gru pointed to the right again with his index finger.
“…? That’s the bathroom.”
Jurim jumped up. Was he trying to go? While Gru wondered, Jurim reached the bathroom in a single step, checking everything.
No one else had been there.
“Han Gru, are you alone?”
“Yes.”
Jurim walked over to the bookshelf, checking the jars of star candies and syrup—all Awakener items.
“Where are your parents?”
“They’re not here…”
“Then did the orphanage director tell you to stay here?”
“Yes? What?”
“That you should be here…”
“Yes?”
Jurim trailed off, but Gru’s innocent face showed he truly didn’t understand.
Children really are difficult to handle, he thought, when suddenly he recalled what the task force agent said:
“On Onion Market, they’re a fairly well-known Awakener merchandise distributor. Goes by IAMGROOT123.”
Unless his imagination was running wild, the clues pointed to one conclusion.
“IAMGROOT123?”
“…Ah.”
No need to wait for an answer.
The child’s face turned pale. Now he understood why he had the doll, and why he had come here.
Now, the expression of wanting to use the bathroom was on Gru’s face.
Jurim lightly grabbed Gru’s arm. Instantly, his status screen appeared and began moving on its own.
Following it, Jurim rolled his eyes from top to bottom.
Then, reading Gru’s info through skill, he murmured like a low whisper:
“Legend…?”
“Please forgive me…”
Jurim sat before Gru, arms crossed, legs folded, giving a fearsome stare.
“So, the reason you wanted to join the string section was to engage in illegal trade, tax evasion, and money laundering?”
“Uhh… yes.”
In truth, Gru didn’t fully understand, but he answered yes.
The orphanage sister said that saying yes was half the battle.
But Jurim, hearing this, covered his eyes with one hand, stunned.
