Even Today, the Ranker Dreams of Retirement

“……Student, are you really okay? You must have been very frightened.”

“It must have been scary with multiple thieves.”

“You pressed the alarm bell immediately and even recorded them. You handled the situation perfectly!”

The thieves were confirmed as criminals without room for excuses.

After arresting them and having a moment to breathe, the Management Bureau agent and the police officer took turns expressing their admiration for Habin’s handling of the situation.

“Ah, we’d like to collect the recording as confession evidence, if you could send it to us…….”

“Yes, I’ll send it to you.”

Habin trimmed the recording and sent them only the crucial part she had played earlier.

All mentions of her sword malfunctioning or pointing them to the police station were deleted!

With the recording coming out, the thieves who had become undeniable criminals seemed to have given up resistance and were being taken away without a fuss.

“You are under arrest for violating the Special Item Theft Law. You have the right to an attorney, the right to explain yourselves, and the right to remain silent.”

“…….”

The thieves hung their heads as if they had given up.

The Management Bureau agent next to them tilted his head.

“But in the recording earlier, you said you belonged to Minor Patch.”

At his words, the thieves jerked their heads up in surprise and shook them frantically.

“N-no, that’s not true!”

“We just used that name because it sounded cool!”

“Hmm…….”

“Could they really not be? I’ve heard that Minor Patch has been getting bolder lately with Fides gone.”

The police officer muttered suspiciously. The agent shook his head.

“They have been raising their heads a bit recently, but these small fries probably have nothing to do with them. They’re very selective about their members.”

“We should still investigate, though.”

Minor Patch.

Although they were said to have been nearly wiped out by Fides’ efforts,

They seemed to be seizing the opportunity to recover while Fides was on the 50th floor, as their movements had become unsettling recently.

“After all, their leader is a powerful ranker. Judging by the lack of change in the rankings, it seems they survived Fides’ previous attack…….”

As they were whispering amongst themselves, they seemed to become aware of Habin and stopped their conversation, turning back to her.

“That’s right, student. You might have to be interviewed as a witness later.”

“What?”

‘I didn’t expect this.’

Interviewed as a witness.

This was like a bolt from the blue for Habin, who had hoped to quietly move on.

‘Both ‘witness’ and ‘interview’ sound very troublesome and inconvenient!’

Noticing her expression darkening, the police officer added:

“Ah, neither attendance nor testimony is mandatory. Don’t worry too much.”

“Oh…….”

“Hmm, but looking into their records, these thieves have quite a history. They’ve become wanted criminals for stealing so many potions.”

“We finally caught them thanks to you, student.”

“……I was just fulfilling my duty as a good citizen.”

Habin subtly averted her gaze from their admiring looks, which were almost burdensome.

[But why did you call the police instead of dealing with them yourself? They would have been a piece of cake for you to handle.]

‘What? Don’t say such dangerous things, Kim Jaljal. Dealing with them secretly is too much trouble. If I misjudge my strength even a little, those guys could die. I absolutely can’t be caught for special threats, murder, or disposing of bodies!’

Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

It would be a huge mistake to end up shuttling between courts and prisons for dealing with such small fry.

[……Your list of crimes is oddly specific.]

Habin shook her head with an expression that said she didn’t even want to think about it.

‘Anyway, it’s not happening. Kim Jaljal, even power-hiders have their class. Amateurs recklessly handle things themselves and get their identities exposed, while experts cooperate with the state and authorities like this.’

Hyun Habin nodded with a proud face.

‘I’m a good citizen who pays taxes well! I know to report to the police. Public authority is a good thing. Let’s use it when we can.’

The power-hider who found everything troublesome (Special note: Never evaded taxes and diligently paid comprehensive real estate tax) was once again making good use of the Republic of Korea’s public authority today.

‘Good, it’s been resolved quietly, so that’s fine. Now let’s get back to watching the drama.’

After neatly seeing off the police cars, Habin quickly returned to the convenience store without wasting a second.

With the thieves, police, and agents all gone, the convenience store was finally quiet, with only a song advertising the convenience store’s 1+1 promotion playing.

-You can store 1+1 products if you download the 00 app! Download the convenience store app now and get benefits……!

Rustle.

Habin, who had picked up a 1+1 triangle kimbap, rested her chin on the counter with a bored expression.

“……Sigh, of all times, those troublesome guys had to visit during the short time I was covering.”

The saying ‘When it rains, it pours’ must have been coined for situations like this.

‘Though I guess it’s fortunate they came when Park Wondu wasn’t here.’

No matter how much of a coffee enthusiast and part-time job master Park Wondu was, he might have been overwhelmed dealing with multiple thieves on his own.

“……Anyway, Park Wondu. Lucky guy. Where else could he find a friend like me?”

Ahem.

Habin, who had peeled off the wrapper of the tuna mayo triangle kimbap, took a bite with a satisfied expression.

“I should quickly eat this and have another one.”

As she tapped her phone screen, the paused drama started playing again.

◆◇◆◇◆

Meanwhile, the next day.

Hyun Habin, who was packing a picnic lunch at the Chae siblings’ house for the 50th floor conquest, stopped her movements as she watched the TV.

-Yesterday afternoon, the notorious trio of ‘convenience store potion thieves’ was apprehended.

The announcer’s voice flowed from the news.

-Fortunately, thanks to the calm response of the part-timer on site, Miss Hyun M., a swift arrest was possible…….

“Huh.”

“Oh?”

Hyun Habin frowned, and Chae Jiseok turned his head to look at the screen.

The screen showed CCTV footage of Habin and the thieves. Everyone was pixelated, but,

“……Isn’t that you?”

Chae Jiseok asked quietly. The familiar body shape, the unique surname.

That characteristic bored gesture reminded him too much of someone.

‘Hey, no matter how I look at it, that Miss Hyun M. is Hyun Habin, isn’t it?’

He had only given her two days, but in that time she had even made it onto the news.

She was truly extraordinary in many ways.

Chae Jiseok interjected with an expression that said he understood everything:

“What on earth did you get up to in those two days?”

‘Tch. They said they’d pixelate me, so why didn’t they hide my surname?’

Habin crossed her arms with a displeased face.

After the police left, she suddenly received interview requests from broadcasting companies and press agencies on her phone, but she rejected them all.

‘Why would this warrant an interview……? No way. I have…… a phobia of appearing on broadcasts! Anyway, I can’t do it.’

She didn’t actually have a phobia, but she preferred not to be publicized in various ways.

She had even asked them not to reveal her personal information if she was mentioned at all.

To think they would so blatantly reveal her surname!

Noticing her discomfort, Chae Jiseok tried to offer some words of comfort:

“Don’t worry too much. No one will recognize that it’s you from that, right?”

“……It’s not me.”

“Right.”

-Meanwhile, Miss Hyun M. showed an exemplary model of a righteous citizen by refusing interviews, stating, ‘I merely fulfilled my duty as a good citizen’…….

“…….”

“Anyway, it’s not you.”

“……Pfft.”

Hearing a small sound of suppressed laughter, Habin glared at Chae Jiseok.

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

-Meanwhile, the police are investigating whether these thieves have any connection to the recently active ‘Minor Patch’.

“……Minor Patch?”

Chae Jiseok, who had been snickering, put on a serious expression at those words.

“Why, does Chae-ssi have something to do with Minor Patch too?”

“No, it’s not that. I wonder if it’s because both nuna and Fides-nim are on the 50th floor now. There have been rumors that crime is on the rise. I’m worried something might happen while we’re away too.”

Until now, not only the criminal organization ‘Minor Patch’, but also hunter crimes scattered around the world had been intimidated by Fides’ mere existence.

No matter how vicious and deranged a criminal was, realistically, there were no villains confident enough to defeat an overwhelming force with a 100% win rate, the publicly acknowledged strongest in the world.

But now that trump card was on the 50th floor, where even survival wasn’t guaranteed.

According to rumors, all crime organization bosses worldwide were praying, ‘Please don’t let Fides return from the 50th floor.’

Habin replied in a voice that suggested it wasn’t a big deal:

“Then we just need to come back quickly. One-day clear of the 50th floor?”

“How could you clear it in one day……. Though Secretary-nim would certainly be happy if we returned after a one-day clear.”

Lee Junhwi, who was now acting as the temporary Solaris representative, was in a very disgruntled state.

‘To think you’d put me in such a troublesome and cumbersome position! Both the Guild Master and Vice Guild Master better prepare a hefty bonus!’

‘Thinking of the guild representative position as troublesome and cumbersome, he might have some similarities with Hyun Habin?’

While Chae Jiseok was lost in thought, Habin packed her belongings.

Mini beam projector, Bluetooth speaker…… delicious foods ordered for delivery through food delivery apps.

Watching her neatly pack everything into her inventory, Chae Jiseok asked:

“By the way, did you contact anyone about your absence? Like family. Won’t they be surprised if you suddenly disappear?”

“Contact?”

[That’s right, come to think of it, you have family too! You’re visiting the 50th floor of Kill Screen, so who knows what variables might arise. You should at least tell them you’ll be away for a while!]

“Hmm…….”

Friends were one thing, but should she leave a message for family?

Urged by both of them, Habin opened KakaoTalk and checked Hyun Siwoo’s profile after a long time.

Tap tap.

Hyun Siwoo.

His profile picture was dazzling.

Hyun Siwoo dressed in luxury brands against the backdrop of the glorious Eiffel Tower and beautiful cities.

A photo of him leaning on a stylish terrace, wearing sunglasses and gazing at the Eiffel Tower.

And his status message-

European trip~ No KakaoTalk X No calls from 00 day

La vie en rose

“As expected, he’s living so well it’s almost vexing.”

Hyun Siwoo’s profile picture of a sentimental shot with Europe’s night view. Even a cringeworthy French phrase.

Seeing this, Habin furrowed her brow.

‘Hmm, so he went on a European trip without telling me?’

In the past, even for a school trip, they would playfully ask each other what souvenirs they would buy. Of course, whether they actually bought proper souvenirs for each other was a different story.

To think their relationship had changed so much after a few years.

‘No contact even when he went missing, no contact even when going on an overseas trip.’

Moreover, now he had even blatantly written in his status message that he couldn’t be reached.

After a brief silence, Habin spoke:

“So I guess there’s no need for me to tell him I’m going to Kill Screen either.”

After some deliberation, she decided not to leave any message for Hyun Siwoo.

“It’s not like I’m going somewhere that dangerous, and even if I leave a message, he’ll probably just worry, right?”