Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!-Chapter 242 : Nihility

The view was beautiful. High as hell, but beautiful.

Below, in the hospital garden, a group of kids—probably her age, maybe younger—ran around like they had no idea what 'fragile' even meant. Their laughter floated up, mixing with the distant sounds of the city, making the whole thing feel like a movie scene. Some were playing tag, others were messing around with a soccer ball, and a few had gathered under a tree, trading secrets that probably weren't even that interesting.

She watched them, her dark eyes unreadable.

She could have any toy in the world. Dolls custom-made to her liking, playrooms bigger than most apartments, a whole damn amusement park if she asked for it. But she couldn't have that. That simple, stupid thing—running, playing, being out there, feeling the grass under her feet.

But did it bother her?

Not in the way people expected. She didn't pity herself. Didn't get jealous, either. Her view of the world had long stopped aligning with kids her age. She knew too much.

Still, she watched them with a small, almost bittersweet smile, like she was admiring something fragile. Something fleeting.

Enjoy it while you can.

Because life wasn't fair. And happiness? Happiness was fleeting—never lasted.

Her smile didn't waver, but something in her gaze sharpened.

Then her eyes flicked to a different direction—like a switch had been flipped. Her lips barely moved, but the words came out cold, almost eerie.

"He's in Seoul." A pause. "And killing."

****

The man ran like hell.

His breath was ragged, his chest heaving, every muscle in his old-but-masculine body screaming for a break—but he couldn't stop. His legs burned, his lungs felt like they were on fire, but the fear pounding in his skull pushed him forward. Every desperate step echoed in the dark alley, his shoes barely finding traction on the damp concrete. He risked a glance over his shoulder—bad idea.

The man in black was still there.

A lean, impossibly tall figure draped in a long coat, hands stuffed casually in his pockets, moving with a lazy stride as if he had all the time in the world. His mask concealed his face, but the eerie confidence in his posture screamed one thing—this wasn't a chase. It was a game.

The runner's foot caught on uneven pavement. His body lurched forward, crashing hard onto the ground. His palms scraped against the rough surface, burning as fresh wounds opened up. He groaned, rolling over, his body refusing to cooperate—but he had no choice.

He scrambled to his feet and pushed forward again, forcing his legs to obey.

The alley stretched endlessly ahead, swallowing any hope of escape. No matter how fast he ran, it never seemed to end. But that man—he wasn't running. He didn't need to.

A long, drawn-out sigh filled the air.

Before the runner could react, the figure in black vanished from his spot—and reappeared directly in front of him. His heart slammed against his ribs, his feet dug into the ground in a desperate attempt to stop—but he was already too late.

The masked man's head tilted slightly, as if assessing something. Then, he moved.

A sharp pivot, weight shifting effortlessly, and then—

The kick came fast. A brutal roundhouse, his long coat flaring behind him as his foot connected squarely with the runner's chest.

The impact was instant and devastating.

Air exploded from the man's lungs, ribs bending inward as his body was launched backward. He hit the ground hard, skidding across the alley floor before coming to a groaning stop.

Coughing, gasping, he tried to rise—

A boot pressed down on his chest, pinning him effortlessly.

The masked man adjusted his long coat, flicking nonexistent dust from his sleeve before glancing at the watch on his wrist.

"Fifteen seconds to kill you. What a waste of time," he murmured, voice smooth and impossibly captivating, like a devil speaking poetry.

The runner wheezed, barely clinging to consciousness, his lips trembling. "J-Jebal… sallyeojuseyo! (Please… spare me!)" he wheezed, struggling, flailing, his hands reaching for mercy that wasn't there, he begged, his voice cracked, raw with terror. His hands reached up, pleading, grasping at the leg that held him down.

The man in black didn't even spare him a glance.

He lifted one hand—and snapped his fingers.

Immediately, an invisible force yanked the man from the ground, hoisting him into the air like a ragdoll. He flailed, gasping, his body twisting uselessly against whatever unnatural power held him aloft.

"Please! I-I can give you anything! Money, power—just name your price!"

The desperation in his voice was thick, clinging to the air like smoke, like one of those pathetic villains in a drama who thought throwing money around could save their skin.

The masked man finally looked at him, head tilting slightly.

Did he seriously just try to bribe him?

A quiet scoff left his lips, almost amused. "Don? (Money)" His voice was impossibly smooth, almost mocking. "You think I need your stupid cash or power?"

The man on the ground swallowed hard, his trembling hands still reaching for mercy that wasn't there.

Another snap.

Black flames erupted out of nowhere, swirling and coiling like living shadows. The heat wasn't normal—it wasn't even natural. It was suffocating, pressing in on the surroundings like something alive, something ancient.

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The flames flicked forward.

The moment they touched him, the screaming began.

Agonized, raw, soul-wrenching screams filled the sealed-off alley, bouncing off the walls, but there was no one to hear him. No one to help.

[Name: Kang Dae-hyun]

[Age: 170]

[Power Level: Transcendent (Tier 7)]

[Status: Dead!]

The masked man nodded once.

Mission complete.

A projection flickered to life on the masked man's wristwatch. He glanced at it, nodded once, and let out a small breath. Nothing was left of his target. No body. No ashes. Just nothing.

[Does master wish to teleport back?]

The voice whispered directly into his mind.

He exhaled.

And then—

The masked man didn't answer. He simply vanished, swallowed by the darkness, leaving behind only a lingering question—

How strong was he… to kill a Tier 7—A TRANSCENDENT—with just a snap?