Chapter 14 - Art Of Deception

Outside the Dimensional Gate.

"Mask of Deception," Heo activated his newly acquired skill, altering his physical appearance to deceive the guards stationed a few steps ahead. The gate had spawned within the forest, and luckily, the guards were positioned a bit farther from the actual gate. This stroke of luck allowed Heo to maneuver without raising suspicion.

Heo skillfully manipulated his facial features, giving himself white, long hair, blue eyes, and dressing in a black outfit reminiscent of a Chinese man. This transformation served a dual purpose: not only did it help obscure his nationality, but it also created a deceptive appearance that suggested an outsider from beyond Korea had come to kill Dong.

"Do you have a lighter?" Heo inquired of the guards, his appearance now transformed. As he drew closer to them, his steps silent and purposeful, he readied himself to take them by surprise.

Both guards, stationed at their post, turned in response to Heo's voice. Their gazes met his as they looked into his transformed eyes.

"Mind Palace," Heo whispered with a heavy, malevolent voice as he activated the skill. His eyes began to glow with a malevolent red hue, and a sinister smile spread across his face. A deep, black aura enveloped him, radiating an eerie energy.

Both guards stood there with widened eyes, seemingly hypnotized by Heo's skill. They appeared immobilized, like lifeless dolls, unable to move or think.

"I was the one who entered with Dong's party members. What happened inside the Dungeon was my doing," Heo stated calmly, his voice laced with an eerie confidence. As he spoke, he skillfully manipulated the guards' memories, replacing any trace of himself with the false image of a Chinese young man.

But suddenly, his eerie smile turned gloomy as he realized that his current actions might not be enough. He recalled his visit to the Hunter Association, where he had spoken with a receptionist about the F rank dungeon. He had been the only one to inquire about it at that time, and this could potentially link him to the Dong incident.

"I need to go and find that girl to alter her memory too," Heo muttered to himself, his mind racing with the urgency of his plan.

Heo walked for a few minutes, finally emerging from the forest onto a road where he could find a taxi. He waited impatiently for half an hour, growing increasingly frustrated as no taxis appeared. Time was running out, and Heo's anxiety intensified. He couldn't shake the thought that Eun might have discovered her brother's disappearance and could already be on her way to the Hunter Association to investigate. The distance from the F rank Dungeon to the Hunter Association was about an hour, but Heo felt the urgency of the situation. With no other options in sight, he decided to allocate all of his remaining stats into the Agility attribute to increase his speed and get there as quickly as possible.

"Allocate all points to Agility," Heo commanded, his determination clear in his voice. He knew that time was of the essence, and he needed to reach the Hunter Association before Eun could uncover any clues that might lead back to him.

Heo allocated all his points to agility, Heo rushed towards the Hunter Association. As he neared the building, he slowed his pace to a casual walk, taking a moment to catch his breath. However, he couldn't help but notice that the eyes of the other hunters were fixed on him. It wasn't a gaze of pity, but rather one of admiration. He could feel their appreciative looks, especially from the female hunters who regarded him with approving and even longing glances. His enhanced appearance seemed to have attracted their attention, and Heo couldn't help but smirk inwardly at the unintended consequences of his actions.

"Who is he?"

"He looks handsome."

"Are you single?"

Whispers and murmurs filled the air as the other hunters exchanged comments about Heo's appearance, with many of them expressing admiration for his handsome looks and even making inquiries about his relationship status. The unintended attention seemed to amuse Heo as he continued to play his role, all the while focusing on his goal of finding the receptionist to alter her memory.

He walked towards the reception area, a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he spotted the receptionist. As he approached, he noticed her gaze locking onto him. Her face flushed, and her heart began to race. She felt a flutter of emotions she couldn't quite describe, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips involuntarily.

"How may I help you?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of shyness as her fingers absentmindedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. A soft blush adorned her cheeks, and she couldn't help but smile, though her gaze seemed to shy away from meeting his directly.

"Mind Palace, " He activated the skill as he leaned towards the table, his elbow casually resting upon it, his eyes locked onto hers with a confident yet mesmerizing gaze. A small smile played on his lips as he looked directly into her eyes, a subtle but captivating intensity emanating from his gaze.

Her body froze in place as the effects of the skill took hold. Her eyes widened, a reddish glow emanating from them. She stood completely still, seemingly under the influence of Heo's hypnotic power. Her mind was blank, her thoughts overridden by the skill's control.

"Forget that someone asked you about the F rank undead dungeon today. It never happened," Heo whispered softly into her ear, his words carrying a hypnotic quality that seemed to seep into her mind.

After altering her memory, Heo walked away from her. As she gradually woke from the hypnotic state, she watched him retreating, feeling a mix of confusion and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Her face was still flushed, and her heart raced. Part of her wanted to call out to him, but her shyness held her back, leaving her with nothing but a silent yearning.

As Heo approached the exit of the building, he suddenly collided with a woman. Their eyes met, and he felt a surge of intense emotion. His heart raced with a mixture of anger and a burning desire for vengeance. He clenched his fists tightly, struggling to control his impulses and refrain from acting impulsively. His mind was in turmoil as he grappled with the powerful emotions that had been stirred within him.