Chapter 96 – Hacking Hunternet

Actually, it was not a wrong statement.

It was just that things would get a bit more complicated if they went through the guild, but there was no absolute need for Won Deok-sam to resolve the matter.

“No! Unfair, my foot! It is a very fair deal indeed! You are sparing my life! How could I! How could I refuse!”

Fearing that the lifeline barely lowered to him would disappear, Won Deok-sam flattered them with all his might.

At this, Hee-na held up the remaining mana stone pieces.

“Then I will consider the contract made as such.”

Only after the mana stone contract was finished did Hee-won untie Won Deok-sam’s bound body.

“Oh, my aching bones.”

Won Deok-sam massaged his numb limbs.

Hee-na and Hee-won pressed him without even giving him time to properly stretch.

“So how are you going to help us?”

“Every second counts, so quickly say something.”

At the urging, Won Deok-sam shifted his body clumsily.

“A-All right. First, I need a computer.”

“Why a computer?”

“I need it to access Hunternet, hack it, and block the information.”

“Oh. You’re going to hack Hunternet?”

Hee-won asked in disbelief.

Hunternet was a communication channel for Hunters not only domestically but worldwide, and the security was that tight.

There was even a saying that infiltrating Hunternet was harder than hacking the website of the United States Department of Defense.

“Yes. That’s right. Although it’s just to twist it very slightly, hacking is possible.”

Won Deok-sam was saying right now that he could lay a hand on such a Hunternet.

If this statement was true, then unlike his kidnap skills which appeared utterly sloppy, he truly was a person of great ability.

“Is that so? Then that’s a relief. Please erase our information using the computer.”

Of course, whether that was the case or not, Hee-na, who did not know much about Hunternet, did not feel much impression at those words.

“I’ll go inside the house and look for where I put the laptop, so clean up here a bit and come inside.”

Instead, asking the remaining two men to clean up, Hee-na quickly set out to find her laptop.

Fortunately, the old laptop operated normally.

Although it stuttered a little, it was in very good condition considering the fact that it had not been used in over a year.

“For now, under the influence of the Blue Dragon Guild, most of the relevant information has been deleted. Instead, the verification posts uploaded intermittently are the problem. Because they couldn’t catch those in time, someone like me appeared.”

Won Deok-sam explained as he tapped away on the laptop keyboard.

It did not suit him to speak serious words with a face mottled and bruised from getting beaten by Baduk-i.

Regardless, Hee-na and Hee-won poured out questions.

“Then can you delete those posts immediately, Won Deok-sam?”

“But what if people who saw the verification posts uploaded in the past come tracking us?”

Won Deok-sam waved both hands as if telling them to calm down for a moment while reading their expressions.

“Unless I am Big Brother, I cannot handle everything that happens on anonymous boards. What I can do is prevent them from digging behind using this ‘peanut’ keyword.”

At the vague explanation, Hee-na pressed him.

“Explain in more detail.”

“So, I’m going to set a kind of trap in the virtual space. That trap reacts only to your special word ‘peanut’. So, if someone tries to access the core information of the peanuts, the trap will be triggered.”

“What happens when they get caught in the trap?”

“At the same time that I am contacted, an attack will be launched on the opponent’s computer. It is a severe attack to the point where they won’t even be able to lay a hand on this matter again. Even if they escape the attack, they will end up spinning around the starting point again through the algorithm, so they will never be able to dig up information about you.”

“…Well, since you’re doing it with your life on the line, I trust you’ve done it well.”

Since Hee-na was an ordinary office worker who only did paperwork on computers, she did not understand well what Won Deok-sam was talking about.

However, she believed in the effectiveness of the contract through the mana stone.

Inside this house, Won Deok-sam had to speak only the truth, and he could absolutely not harm Hee-na and Hee-won.

Otherwise, he would lose a great deal indeed. Starting from his abilities, maybe even his life!

Rumble.

Amidst the seriousness, a belly clock rang from somewhere.

Tracing the source of the sound, it was none other than the sound coming from the stomach of Won Deok-sam, who was typing hard.

“Co, cough. Hm.”

He cleared his throat embarrassedly and made an excuse.

“The hacking ability is also a skill, so it consumes a lot of energy…”

“Then do you have to keep eating something to use that hacking skill?”

“T-That’s right. Otherwise, an energy drain phenomenon might occur, leaving me incapacitated…”

Growwll, rumble.

At the same time, a rumbling sound rang out grandly once more.

“Oh dear…”

It was quite pitiful to see him making hungry sounds with a swollen and bruised appearance.

“Sigh. Eat this.”

Hee-na, unable to bear looking at that pitiful sight, rummaged through the kitchen and handed over the leftover egg sandwiches.

Although she felt resentful because he was the person who kidnapped her, it also made her feel bad to see him starving.

‘This must be why I’m a homemaker.’

Hee-na sighed inwardly.

Meanwhile, Won Deok-sam gulped at the sight of the egg sandwiches offered in front of him.

Perhaps because he was in an extremely hungry state, the sandwich looked several times more beautiful than usual.

“T-Thank you!”

He hurriedly grabbed a sandwich and stuffed it into his mouth.

“Gasp!”

The moment he took a bite of the sandwich, his swollen eyes popped wide open. The taste of the mashed eggs gently wrapping around his tongue was exquisite.

Won Deok-sam inhaled the remaining three sandwiches in an instant.

Although his mouth must have been heavily swollen from getting beaten so much by Baduk-i, he seemed not to feel such pain.

‘Indeed, he must be hungry. Since he probably hasn’t eaten a single meal since yesterday.’

Hee-na clicked her tongue as she watched him.

“Drink some water at least. You might choke.”

As she pushed a glass of water in front of him, he also emptied it in one gulp.

“Ah!”

Won Deok-sam refreshedly set the cup down with a thud and rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand.

“It was the most delicious food I have ever eaten in my life…”

He murmured, recalling each and every food he had eaten during his forty years of life.

Hee-na, who had become accustomed to such exaggerated reactions thanks to Kang Jin-hyun, shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

“I’m glad to hear that. Since you’re done eating, hurry up and finish your work. If you do well, I will cook a delicious dinner for you.”

“Is… is that so? Understood! I will work hard indeed!”

Won Deok-sam glared at the laptop screen full of motivation.

‘Since I’m already ruined, they say a well-fed ghost has a better complexion… I should at least eat delicious food before I die.’

The mistake was irreversible, and he had already sworn on the mana stone. It was best to clear his mind of stray thoughts and focus on the task.

His fingers began to move as if possessed.

Won Deok-sam held both hands high.

“All done!”

Hee-na, who was preparing dinner, glanced back.

Won Deok-sam wore a refreshed expression.

“Is it all done? Perfectly?”

Hee-won, who was monitoring Won Deok-sam while hovering around, did not let go of his suspicion until the end and pressed him.

“It is the most perfect within my capabilities. Finding information inside Hunternet will be impossible, and obtaining information through other routes… will be even more impossible. Because I, ‘Mr. Won,’ will not allow it.”

Won Deok-sam replied quite triumphantly.

Honestly, speaking such words with a bruised face and shabby appearance didn’t inspire much trust… but since he said so, they decided to believe him for now.

In case of a sloppy resolution, Baduk-i will punish you.

Osaek-i, who had crawled over to the side, subtly threatened him.

At Osaek-i’s words, Baduk-i also crept closer and subtly held up a leaf. It was the leaf that had slapped Won Deok-sam’s cheek.

“Gasp, gasp. I-It is truly perfect. I can guarantee it. Would I dare to play tricks while risking my own life?”

Won Deok-sam stepped back hesitantly, as if extremely frightened by Osaek-i and Baduk-i’s valiant figures.

Hee-won slung his arm over Won Deok-sam’s shoulder.

“You’d better stay tense. In any case, you are the person who kidnapped my sister. We are only suspending our judgment for now.”

“I will never commit such an act again! I won’t even breathe a word about you guys either. If you don’t believe me, I can promise this on a mana stone too! Since I’ve finished the cleanup, if you just release me, really, I will never forget this grace for the rest of my life!”

Won Deok-sam gathered both hands and begged almost as if pleading.

Yet, Hee-won did not even bat an eye, even though the middle-aged man in a wretched state was bowing and begging right in front of him.

The politeness and respect running deep within Korean blood were merciless in front of family.

Into the atmosphere that had instantly chilled, Hee-na spoke a word while scooping refreshing bean sprout soup into a soup bowl.

“We cannot release you from our house right away, Won Deok-sam. Since we have ended up in a difficult situation because of the peanuts, we might need your help in the future as well.”

Won Deok-sam now cringed to Hee-na.

“If you release me like this, I will do my best from the outside to help you with all my heart and strength, both materially and spiritually.”

However, Hee-na was also firm.

“No. How can we trust you and let you go? We must keep you close and monitor you.”

Hee-na snapped and put the soup bowl down with a thud.

“Hey, come over here and carry the dishes. And don’t talk nonsense. You should be grateful that we aren’t tying up your limbs and are treating you like a human being right now.”

“A-All right.”

The Homemaker of the Dungeon