I Became an NPC That Rankers Are Obsessed Over

The midday light poured in through the curtains.

Dust floated in the air within that light.

I slowly counted the specks of dust.

Yesterday, because of the vision of Anna, I spent the night awake.

I tried countless times to fall asleep somehow.

But my overheated body merely mocked my efforts as futile.

Lying in bed until noon without eating breakfast made me hungry.

I rummaged through the fridge and pulled out a single tomato I got from the store.

I wiped it roughly with my T-shirt and took a big bite.

The tangy juice spread across my tongue.

The tartness made my shoulders tremble instinctively.

Humans truly feel alive only when they eat something.

After roughly quelling my hunger, I plopped back onto the bed.

Today was Monday, the inn’s day off.

I decided to think about what kind of side job to do during my break.

Although I earned some income as an inn NPC, it wasn’t nearly enough to cover my overdue rent.

I wanted to somehow make big money using the abilities I had.

Abilities… Angelic Hand… Cocktails…

“Cocktails?”

Now that I think about it, most drinks I made had buffs.

A Gin Tonic had a 10% stamina recovery effect, and a Kahlúa Milk reduced status effect duration by 30%.

If you drank three of them, wouldn’t that mean 90% would be recovered?

There are hardly any potions with such buffs on the market.

Most parties simply rely on healers’ buffs.

If my potions hit the market, there’d be no need to force a healer into the party.

There are still several monster raids in the outskirts of Seoul that haven’t been cleared.

Among them, there must be plenty of low-budget parties without healers.

If I go there and sell cocktails, I could make several times the profit compared to selling them at the inn.

The only problem is…

I don’t have any ingredients right now.

I can’t take them from the store.

Should I try contacting the supplier that provides alcohol to the inn?

I slowly lay down at the edge of the bed.

Then, looking at my phone, I sifted through my call records.

“When the inn received alcohol before, I made a call once…”

Found it.

I immediately dialed that number.

“This is Red Snake Company.”

“Ah, hello. I’m the bartender from the Moment Inn…”

“Oh, I remember. Just a few days ago, we supplied champagne to your staff.”

“Yes, thank you so much for that. You even delivered it directly to the store…”

“The Moment Inn is one of our regulars.”

I cleared my throat briefly.

What comes next is important.

“Actually, I’m planning to start a personal business this time, so I was wondering if I could purchase alcohol separately.”

I worked hard to correct my stuttering tone and explained diligently.

The company staff kindly accommodated me, setting up an appointment step by step.

However, he said the team leader was busy and could only spare time this afternoon.

I nodded during the call, agreeing to the immediate availability.

“But… there’s something you need to be cautious about.”

His unexpected words contradicted the kindness he showed so far.

“What is it?”

“Our team leader is in a very bad condition right now… so he might be a little sensitive during the meeting.”

“…”

I replied that I understood.

The appointment was set for 2 PM, hurriedly made since he said there was no time after today…

But be cautious because the team leader is sensitive?

Something felt unsettling.

Still, since the appointment was successfully arranged, that part went well.

I stretched my stiff body and headed to the bathroom.

But I didn’t even glance at the bathtub.

The day I could use the bathtub again was still a distant future.

I took a light shower and picked out some clothes.

Since there wasn’t anything like a suit in the wardrobe, I wore a sweatshirt over a shirt.

At least it had a collar, so it should be fine… right?

I briskly opened the front door and stepped outside.

The sky was clear without a single cloud.

For some reason, I had a good feeling, just like the weather today.

“…”

But that hope was shattered, as if mocking me.

“Where the heck is it…”

No matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find a sign for Red Snake Company.

It was definitely supposed to be around here according to the map.

Wearing my crossbody bag, I wandered through the streets and finally hid my body in a shaded spot.

They said the team leader was sensitive, and if I was late for the appointment, it’d be a disaster.

But that wasn’t the only reason I was rushing.

This was the territory of a private hunter organization, not an association-affiliated area.

The organization’s name was ‘Ilshim.’

Rumors said they were a frightening group that even dealt in loans, violence, and even prostitution.

Why did their office have to be near that organization’s headquarters?

Biting my finger, I circled around the shadowy area.

“Hey, you.”

After circling about three times, a hefty man called out to me.

The weight of his voice pulled at me, making my whole body shrink.

It reminded me of Si-woong, whom I’d met before.

“Yes…?”

The voice belonged to an organization member.

Guarding the headquarters entrance, he pointed a finger at me with an irritated face.

“Who are you, wandering around our area?”

“Well…”

“You’re not a reporter sent by the association, are you?”

He stepped toward me with a thud.

With each step he took, it felt like the ground was thumping.

That steady sound made my heart pound as well.

“You’re snooping around to spread weird rumors about our group again, aren’t you?”

The member inspected me, checking if I had a camera.

“I’m not a reporter. I’m just looking for a company that’s supposed to be around here…”

“A company? The only company here is Ilshim Group.”

He frowned.

With the sunlight casting shadows on his face, he looked like a massive ape.

“If you were going to make excuses, you should’ve prepared something more convincing. Hand over your camera.”

He tried forcefully grabbing the crossbody bag I was wearing.

Startled, I stepped back.

“I’m serious! I only came here because I heard there’s a distribution company called Red Snake around here.”

I firmly told him in a loud voice.

At that, he halted as if something occurred to him.

“Red Snake…?”

He rubbed his sideburns and rolled his eyes briefly.

“Oh, you mean Team Leader Han’s company.”

The ape-like man turned his head toward the man guarding the entrance with him.

“Jin-bae, what floor was Team Leader Han’s office on?”

“Room 203, second floor of the main building, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I almost forgot we had a client visiting today.”

As if recalling a forgotten memory, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothed out.

“Sorry about that. We’ve just had too many spies lately… Please, come in.”

With a drastically different, smiling face, the man apologized to me.

Then, he gestured toward the grand headquarters building.

“T-that way?”

A stark, colossal building loomed before me.

Beneath it, the Chinese characters for Ilshim were engraved in stone, glaring down at me.

So… the supplier that provided alcohol to the inn turned out to be Ilshim, the largest organization in Korea?

I stood there dumbfounded by the first impression of this shady company.

Then, the organization member motioned for me to follow him.

With no other choice, I trailed behind him, walking through the organization’s hideout.

Along the way, I spotted a few black Starexes and sedans here and there.

If I tried to run away from here, those Starexes would surely chase me down like mad.

And then, hunters wielding blades would pour out to catch me.

This is seriously the worst mistake I’ve ever made…

What if they pretend to help with my business and then steal all my organs?

Or maybe they’ll trap me in an unfair contract and work me like a slave for the rest of my life…

While I was lost in these thoughts, I realized I had already reached the steps of the headquarters building.

Halfway up the stairs, I heard the sound of footsteps rushing down from above.

Soon, a man wearing sunglasses appeared at the front of the group, meeting my eyes.

A yellow snake tattoo on his neck stood out prominently.

The snake seemed to be baring its fangs, as if about to bite its owner’s neck.

I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere before…

“Who’s the kid?”

“A guest for the team leader.”

“Which team leader?”

He stood tall, hands in his pockets, tilting his head back to look down at me.

Feeling uneasy under his gaze, I shrank behind the ape-like man.

“Team Leader Han Su-rin.”

“Really? Since when did she have such a cute guest?”

He chuckled, peering at me through the gap in his sunglasses.

His eerie yellow eyes scanned my body, like he was checking the quality of prey.

“He’s not a friend, just a business guest.”

“Business, huh? Business is good—no need to dirty your hands, after all.”

Humming as if singing, he brushed past us.

“Hey, kid, watch your back. That woman’s ‘silver tongue’ is no joke.”

With that ominous warning, the yellow-eyed man walked toward a black sedan.

The encounter left me feeling chilled.

But thanks to him, I learned one fact.

The team leader was a woman.

Still, dealing with a woman seemed better than a sharp-eyed man like him.

With that thought, I continued climbing the stairs.

Finally, I found the sign I had been searching for: “Red Snake Company.”

“She’s inside. Go ahead.”

“Oh, thank you…”

I bowed politely in gratitude.

The ape-like man scratched his head awkwardly before kindly closing the door behind me.

“—.”

The office was eerily quiet.

Most of the lights were off, giving it the atmosphere of an empty faculty room.

Only one sound broke the silence.

The click of a lighter.

It came from behind a leather chair, spaced at regular intervals.

The chair was turned toward the window.

Curious about the person sitting in the chair, I tiptoed to peek.

But my height wasn’t enough to see who it was.

“Excuse me…”

There was no response from the person in the chair.

Feeling awkward, I looked around the office as I slowly approached.

The interior of the team leader’s office was peculiar.

Black suits were neatly arranged and hung on the walls in sets.

It felt like stepping into the secret lair of a spy.

The eerie image made me shiver as I finally reached the table in front of the chair.

“The bartender from the Moment, huh?”

The sudden question made my shoulders jolt.

It was the first time the person behind the chair had spoken.

The tension made me freeze, unable to answer.

Soon, the leather chair swiveled to face me.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Straight, dark-brown hair brushed to the side.

At first glance, she looked like a pretty college student.

But I quickly realized she perfectly fit this organization.

Her eyes were a flawless crimson, something almost never seen in Korea.

It was the first time I’d seen such eyes since the ranker 09.

A chill ran through me, as if cold air brushed past my side.

“Do you… know me?”

I clutched the crossbody bag on my shoulder tightly.

Swallowing nervously, I barely managed to speak.

“Did you forget me already? That’s disappointing.”

She rested her chin on the table, staring at me intently.

Much like when I first met Se-hee, I had no idea who this woman was.

“The Gin Tonic you made back then—it wasn’t bad, you know.”

Gin Tonic?

If it was someone I’d made a Gin Tonic for after I possessed this body, there was only one person.

“No way, the Executor?”

My brows furrowed instinctively.

Seeing that I guessed correctly, she squinted her eyes and grinned.

Han Su-rin
Age: 25
Occupation: S-rank Hunter, ranked 85th in the country
Ability: Molting
Details: Troubleshooter for Ilshim Corporation

Only then did I remember the chilling smile I had seen from the Executor in the past.

“But back then, you were definitely a man.”

“A man? Oh, right. I sent a dummy to your inn that day.”

“A dummy?”

“I can control the skins I shed as if they were clones. The one you saw must’ve been my second dummy.”

She pointed with her lighter to the second suit hanging on the wall.

So these suits were meant for the clones created from her molted skins?

Realizing the truth made it even creepier.

A human who molts like a snake—it’s unheard of.

What kind of desperate wish did she make when the monsters awakened to gain such an ability?

The unfamiliarity quickly turned into fear.

I started taking small steps backward.

Noticing this, the Executor rose from her chair.

Her sensual figure, clad in black slacks and a white shirt, came into view.

“I did say I was feeling a bit sensitive today.”

The red-eyed killer slowly approached me.

The closer she got, the colder the air around us seemed to become.

“Even so, if you’ve come all the way here, you must have a pretty compelling proposal, right?”

The Executor leaned in with her hands behind her back.

Her crimson eyes bore into me as if hypnotizing me.

“Well…”

“If it’s nothing special, you’d better be prepared.”

She whispered, gripping my shoulders.

Why are the people I meet always like this…