Once upon a time in God's playground-Chapter 95 - 94 : Su-Bin

Han Ji-a’s stat window flickered into existence, hovering between us, its faint blue glow catching the edges of her cheekbones.

Name : Han ji-a

Gender : Female

Age : 26 years old

Nature : Shadow

Level : 21

Class : Assassin

Sub-Class : (Unlocks after Mission 5)

Title : ( Unlocks after Sub-Class )

Strength : 0250

Agility : 0400 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Health Points : 0100

Magic Points : 0150

Stamina : 0150

Nature : Shadow

The user have the access to shadow realm. The user can travel through shadows.

Skills:

•) Venom Edge : Deals continuous damage over time.

•) Silent Execution : One kills opponents of their health is below 25%.

•) Evasion: Can Dodge one life threathing attack once a day.

Equipments:

•) Katana Fangbite.

Description:

A black-forged katana with a faint crimson edge, as if it has been drinking blood for centuries. The blade hums when drawn, whispering like a predator ready to strike. It earned its name for the way its edge "bites" into flesh, leaving behind wounds that burn and weaken the victim.

Effects:

Predator’s Edge: Damage increases by 10% when striking from behind.

Shadow Draw (Passive): First strike after unsheathing the katana deals +25% damage

Her stats weren’t overwhelming, but they told their own story—of someone who had scraped through by grit, precision, and stubborn refusal to die. Survivor’s numbers.

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Not bad. But stats don’t explain everything. So tell me, Ji-a—how the hell did you survive all this?"

Her lips parted, then pressed shut again, as though the memories tasted bitter on her tongue.

When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet but steady. "Lee Hyori and I survived Golden Hell Week together. Barely. If it wasn’t for her... I wouldn’t be here to show you those stats."

I raised a brow. "Her? What exactly did she do?"

Ji-a’s eyes flickered, recalling. "When Mission 2 hit, we weren’t lucky. The boss spawned right in our sector. It was... brutal. Too fast, too strong. The kind of monster that makes you realize just how fragile you are." A shadow crossed her face. "We would’ve been torn apart if it weren’t for Hyori’s foresight... and then Su-bin showed up. With the three of us together, somehow, we killed it."

Su-bin. That name again.

"And after that?" I asked, though I already knew where this was going.

Her expression hardened. "After that, Su-bin became the leader. Missions 3, 4, 5... all him. He cleared them, or... forced others to. People here either follow him or stay out of his way. There’s no middle ground."

The more I heard, the more the puzzle pieces twisted into something ugly. "Then why Hyori? Why would he kidnap her?"

Ji-a’s voice dropped, like speaking the truth too loud would summon him. "Because of his ability. Su-bin can steal powers, Ye-jun. Tear them out of someone, store them like weapons on a shelf, and then use them himself—or bestow them to someone else. But the moment he does, the original owner is left useless. Empty. It only lasts a while, so he has to keep... harvesting."

Her mouth tightened. "If that ability belonged to someone sane, he could’ve been a savior. But Su-bin was already broken before this world ended. An asylum case, sentenced for life. Now? He calls himself king. And everyone else? We’re just his subjects."

A muscle in my jaw ticked. "And Hyori’s power?"

Ji-a hesitated for a heartbeat before answering. "She can see the future. Just two minutes ahead, no more. But with that, she kept us alive through Golden Hell Week. With her visions, we could dodge attacks, lay ambushes, stay one step ahead of monsters. Without her..." She swallowed. "We’d all be dead."

Two minutes of foresight. Small, but devastating if used well. And in the hands of someone like Su-bin, who could stack abilities like playing cards?

"Perfect," I muttered, rubbing my face. "So the city’s salvation is also its damnation. A tyrant strong enough to protect everyone, but sick enough to crush anyone he doesn’t like. What a headache..."

Ji-a studied me quietly. "What will you do, Ye-jun?"

My voice came out low, colder than I meant. "Find a middle ground. If I fight him, people die. If I ignore him, people suffer. So... I’ll deal with him in a way that keeps this city alive. Somehow."

Her gaze lingered on me, unreadable. For a moment, the silence between us was thick—not hostile, just heavy, like two people standing at the edge of different cliffs, both staring at the same storm.

But then something slipped out before I could stop it.

"Why didn’t you ever tell me it was Hana Lee who spread that photo back in high school? Or that you knew I was smoking?"

That got her. Her eyes widened—an unguarded flicker, gone as quickly as it came. She straightened, pulling herself back into that practiced calm. "Because I didn’t care enough at the time. I just wanted to graduate fast. No distractions. No problems. That was all that mattered to me."

Her words stung sharper than I expected. She’d always been good at shutting doors in people’s faces... including mine.

She pivoted before I could push further. "What about Aunt Mi-sun? And Ye-rin?"

I exhaled, loosening my jaw. "They’re safe. Back in Buk-gu, Ulsan. Hana Lee’s with them too. She... has a baby boy now. Min-jae. Did you know?"

To my surprise, Ji-a’s lips curved into something soft—almost wistful. "Yes. I attended her wedding. I knew about the baby."

The bottom dropped out of my stomach. "What?"

She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Ye-jun... you didn’t know?"

"She never mentioned it." The heat in my chest rose, bitter. "And you—why are you still friends with her? She helped kidnap you. She—"

"She apologized." Ji-a’s voice cut across mine, gentle but firm. "And I forgave her. Sometimes... forgiveness is easier than carrying the weight forever."

Her words sank into me like a blade, uncomfortably precise.

Before I could respond, a familiar flutter of wings broke the tension. The air shimmered, and Roger dropped his invisibility, landing on the table with a sharp *thud*. His golden eye gleamed, feathers ruffled in excitement.

He let out a triumphant hoot, a sound that vibrated in my chest like a war drum.

I froze.

I knew that look.

Roger had found her.

Lee Hyori.