Chapter 18
The Randellov Family (1)
Foundation Management Team Office
Rachel was wracking her brain.
“Randellov Family is coming? Why?”
“Hmm. Probably because of scouting, don’t you think?”
The Randellov Family.
A Russian mafia organization that wielded power without paying attention to the government. Their name was well-known enough that ordinary people had at least heard of them.
In reality, however, they were more like a player community based in Russia.
“They were quiet types. Not the kind we needed to worry about.”
They had no interaction with outside communities and operated exclusively within their own country. Their influence existed only as an armed faction within the underworld.
So for the Foundation, there was nothing particularly worth checking on.
However…
“Recently, they suddenly started moving actively.”
They had launched aggressive scouting, rounding up ice-element ability users in neighboring countries.
It was a suspicious and inexplicable move, but the Foundation didn’t take a strong stance.
After all, scouting itself was legal, and any leaked personnel could always be replaced elsewhere.
But if they set foot domestically, that would be a different story.
Even without knowing their exact intentions, their mere presence in the country would inevitably cause chaos.
The delicate balance of the local community society might collapse.
“What did the higher-ups say?”
“The department’s position hasn’t changed. They said to stay put and not make any noise.”
Kyle shook his head as he spoke, and Rachel sighed, holding her head.
Haa. Stay put? Don’t they realize ignoring the problem will only make it worse?
If a massive community like the Randellov Family entered this small country, things would obviously get complicated.
“And when a problem does occur, the cleanup will fall entirely on us.”
“Is that anything new?”
Though they claimed to seek stability, the Foundation only reacted after problems arose.
And all the grunt work fell on the management team.
“What can we do? It’s the team the director chose. We just have to endure it, one way or another. Heh heh.”
“Cut the nonsense. Cha In-ha’s issue alone is already a headache.”
Still, Cha In-ha’s situation wasn’t urgent.
It was merely a minor annoyance that wouldn’t escalate into a major problem if left alone.
On the other hand, the Randellov situation required swift action.
If other communities started to be unsettled, it could become a nationwide problem.
“And it will probably reach the ears of that gentleman as well.”
Just thinking about what the Foundation’s head might order was enough to give her a headache.
No matter what, it had to be stopped before then.
The seed of danger must be cut while it’s still small.
Rachel tapped her desk thoughtfully before finally speaking, as if she had made up her mind.
“Kyle.”
“Yes?”
“Gather all the information about the Randellov Family and bring it to me.”
“So, you’re going to do something after all, senpai.”
“Don’t you know my principle? Leaving this alone only makes it more troublesome.”
Better to face the storm head-on than wait for it to hit.
Incheon Airport, Arrival Gate
A silver-haired woman in a white fur hat stopped abruptly, pulling her suitcase.
The men in white suits trailing her scanned the surroundings with sharp expressions.
Passersby stole glances at the unusual sight.
“…сука (damn).”
The woman removed her sunglasses and spat a short curse.
Pedestrians felt a chill at her piercing gaze and quickly turned away.
Soon, the wide airport entrance was empty except for them.
“Sasha, did you really need to use your ability?”
“They were staring at me. Annoying.”
“Well, you brought so many of them, I guess it makes sense.”
“Whatever.”
Sasha, the silver-haired woman, inhaled the cold winter air and flicked her fingers.
A subordinate handed her a document.
“How’s the contact situation?”
“All those who could be bribed with money have been persuaded. The rest either postponed their decision or refused.”
Sasha skimmed the list.
Most were crossed out in red, but a few highlighted names remained.
Those were the ones still not swayed.
“They still act like this even though they know it’s the Randellovs?”
“Yes.”
“They’re just testing us since we offered compensation first. They think they have a choice. That’s why we needed to threaten them first.”
With the Randellov Family’s level of power, force would probably work, but Sasha found her boss’s insistence on following legal procedures frustrating.
“Sending me personally… What’s grandpa thinking?”
Sasha shook her head, clearly displeased.
“Let’s go. It’s our responsibility, so we have to do it.”
“Yes.”
As she led her men forward, a voice suddenly called from the side.
“Well, you brought quite a crowd.”
Turning her head, she saw an Asian man standing there casually.
There had been no sign of him before…
Sasha narrowed her eyes.
“When…?”
“Seems like you’re having a hard time. Well, it’s natural if you’re relying on persuasion and threats. Ugh, it’s cold.”
The man shivered in the cold, shaking a hand warmer.
He appeared to be an ordinary person, but Sasha’s instincts sharpened.
‘Could it… be the Foundation?’
If someone approached at this time, it could only be them.
Yet, even if he knew, he couldn’t know about today’s arrival…
As Sasha’s suspicion grew, the man continued, shaking the hand warmer.
“I know you want to target the Vladivostok Rift, but gathering only ice-element users won’t be enough.”
“…!”
Sasha’s eyes widened.
‘What the…!’
Randellov Family operations were always top secret.
Recruiting ice-element ability users was officially presented as simply reinforcing their community with new talent.
But the true purpose was something else.
As the stranger said, it was preliminary work for targeting the Rift.
While one could guess the general goal, the fact that the Rift was in Vladivostok was highly classified even within the Family.
Sasha narrowed her brow and immediately summoned cold energy in her hands.
“Ты чо, сука блять!! (What the hell are you!!)“
“Ah, wait. Let’s talk….”
Ignoring him, Sasha further increased her stellar energy.
[Rapid Freeze]
She concentrated massive cold to freeze the opponent, immobilizing them.
Though it only froze the surface and caused no direct harm, it was perfect for restraint.
‘Let’s hear what comes out of his mouth… Randellov style.’
Bang—!
Sasha’s hand struck his chest.
Crack—!
But the cold concentrated into a single point, dissipating without effect.
Her eyes wavered as her power was instantly nullified.
“What the…!”
“I told you to speak first. Tsk.”
The man clicked his tongue, shaking off his clothes.
“I have a proposal that’s perfect for you. Interested?”
“…Proposal?”
“A way to pass through the lava zone without sacrificing your ice-element users.”
He smiled, shaking the hand warmer.
Inside a cafe at the airport
People in white suits crowded near the counter.
Customers glanced curiously but pretended not to notice.
Unbothered, Sehyun, holding a card, asked Sasha:
“What would you like to drink?”
“…Russian.”
“You mean an Americano? Iced or hot?”
“сука! Just order anything, damn it!”
Sasha slammed her hand on the counter, sending a cold aura that started freezing the surroundings.
“…Two hot Americanos, please.”
The drinks were received, and they sat, the cafe now quiet.
Sasha’s piercing gaze fixed on Sehyun.
“Our family has a saying: anyone who proposes peace always has a hidden agenda.”
“Is that really necessary…?”
“If you know something, it’s better to spill everything, kid.”
Sehyun sipped his coffee, meeting her sharp gaze.
“I only want to make a deal. On the condition I solve your problem.”
“Hah. Don’t be ridiculous. What could you possibly know?”
“I know why the Randellovs want to target the Rift now.”
“….”
“And how it should be done.”
Sasha’s smirk faded.
The Rift in Vladivostok had appeared in extreme cold.
The Randellov Family had grown into a leading Russian community around it, providing warmth in a Rift with no boss monster.
But ten years ago, the dormant boss monster awoke—no ordinary one.
It could turn the Rift into a hellscape, far above normal boss monsters.
“So escaping the Rift avoided danger temporarily… but now there’s a reason to target it again. You know the reason better than I do, so no need to explain.”
Sehyun didn’t know the full details but just knowing the overall situation would be enough pressure.
“That’s why you’re gathering ice users. Passing through the lava zone to reclaim the Rift.”
The Rift had become a land of constant flames due to the new boss.
Preliminary work was needed, which required ice-element ability users.
“You have ice users in your Family, right? That’s your specialty. But your existing personnel wasn’t enough?”
At least two teams were needed: one to maintain the environment, another to fight the boss.
Even maintaining the environment required significant personnel.
Considering the boss’s strength, even the full Randellov Family could barely manage.
Thus, they chose to recruit externally.
This was why they had come to Korea.
Sehyun intended to take advantage of this.
“What if there were a way to turn all environmental maintenance personnel into combat troops?”
“…Is that possible?”
Sehyun smiled when Sasha took the bait.
“No need to overly change the environment.”
“Ridiculous. Then they’d collapse before even facing the boss.”
Sasha scoffed, unimpressed.
But Sehyun wasn’t done.
“As long as personnel can enter and endure, that’s all that matters.”
He placed a hand warmer on the table.
Instead of regular powder, it was filled with fragments of Cooling Stones.
“…What’s this?”
“Like when you blocked my attack, this lets you endure the flames.”
“Just this?”
Sasha squinted at the ordinary-looking hand warmer.
After seeing its effect earlier, she couldn’t dismiss it outright.
She signaled her subordinate.
“Mardel.”
“Yes.”
The large subordinate stepped forward and grabbed the hand warmer.
Flames rose from his hand as if to burn it.
But the hand warmer remained intact.
Sasha held the icy-cold hand warmer, her face in disbelief.
“…сука.”
“Now it’s starting to get interesting.”
Sehyun handed her a business card.
“Come to the workshop. I’ll prepare a few samples for you.”
The deal went exactly as planned. Very successfully.
Arrival Gate, Foundation’s View
Rachel entered the arrival area, scanning around.
After collecting multiple reports, she confirmed the Randellovs had arrived today.
She even received word from an informant a few hours prior.
‘A group of white suits that big would stand out.’
Yet she saw nothing.
She headed to the airport security office to check CCTV.
“Huh…?”
In the distance, a commotion drew her attention.
She saw a line of large white-suited men passing through the gate.
Finally, she spotted them.
But then…
‘Why are they heading toward the departure gate?’
They had just arrived, yet were moving toward departures.
And that wasn’t the only odd thing.
‘…Sasha Randellov?’
The boss of the Randellov Family, Oleg Randellov’s granddaughter.
Rachel was momentarily surprised but quickly relieved.
If she’s leaving, no further trouble would occur.
“…Huh?”
Then, Sasha’s gaze fixed on something, a strange smile on her lips.
‘What is she looking at…?’
Rachel turned, seeing a man’s back fading into the distance.
Familiar, she rubbed her eyes, but he was already gone.
“Seems they’ve been through quite a lot.”
Rachel gave a wry smile and turned away.
