The Secret of Gonggak
Kim Jun looked at An Seong-ho.
A Raider staring back at him without a flicker of doubt.
Kim Jun thought it through logically. Was signing an autograph and taking a photo with a little girl really worth trading for relic data?
No, it wasn't.
That meant... there was more to it. An Seong-ho was still holding back his true intentions.
"What do you say?"
He asked as if it didn't matter, but his whole body language screamed that he was hoping for agreement.
Kim Jun wanted to probe a bit deeper into An Seong-ho's motives. A little push, and everything would spill out.
"You got a lot of connections at the Association, huh?"
"A few. Gotta have 'em to get info fast."
A vague answer.
An Seong-ho had even gotten advance intel on the Association-run test and prepared accordingly. Among all the Raiders Kim Jun had met, he had the sharpest information network.
Suddenly, greed stirred within him.
How great would it be to have a team leader like this at Uramata? His personality didn't seem bad either.
How could he pull An Seong-ho over to Uramata? It wasn't like with Skyla or Instructor Jang Man-ho. An Seong-ho wasn't solo—he led a team.
Kim Jun recalled the members of An Seong-ho's team.
He thought of the dealer who had truly hated him—enough to try killing him. The one who'd been with him in the dungeon when he fell behind and, after twists and turns, acquired the Thunder Brain Sword. That dealer had been thrilled to get an item called the Domoto Ring.
What was his name again?
He remembered! Baek Seungtae!
"How's Baek Seungtae doing?"
At that casual question, An Seong-ho's eyes flickered. More than expected.
Jackpot? He'd hit the core. But why was such a simple question so pivotal? Something tied to Baek Seungtae?
An Seong-ho quickly composed himself and spoke.
"He left the team. The guild too."
"For real? So what’s he up to now?"
"Ran into him earlier. He's taking a break, apparently. A few guilds are recruiting him, but he's mulling it over."
"Must've brought in a new dealer, then?"
"Nah. Borrowed one from another team just for this raid."
A bitter expression.
No dedicated team dealer. Had to borrow from elsewhere. Kim Jun grasped the implications immediately.
Training... couldn't be done properly. Couldn't control a borrowed dealer from another team. Difficulty recruiting a dealer meant the guild was in bad shape.
Kim Jun felt good about the possibility of bringing An Seong-ho's whole team over, but a twinge of shame hit him at celebrating Gwanpo Guild's troubles.
Why had Baek Seungtae left Gwanpo Guild?
Then he recalled the Domoto Ring Baek Seungtae had found in the dungeon. After the raid, he'd heard it fetched 3 billion—and maybe that windfall led to his decision.
"Alright. Let's do it."
"For real?"
"Not a big deal."
"Can I schedule it for tomorrow afternoon?"
"Sure."
An Seong-ho pulled out a diary from his bag and added the appointment. Kim Jun caught a glimpse—his schedule was packed. Just tomorrow morning, he had three meetings.
While Kim Jun sweated to boost the Thunder Brain Wall's success rate, An Seong-ho would be meeting people.
Kim Jun had initially thought Raiders should spend all their time honing skills. But An Seong-ho's strengths changed his mind.
Exceptional information gathering—something Kim Jun lacked, and might never have. He had no desire to spend martial arts training time schmoozing.
Then An Seong-ho glanced at Kim Jun and tossed out a question.
"Heard the master's changing?"
In that instant, Kim Jun was certain this was what An Seong-ho truly wanted to know.
"What're you talking about?"
He played dumb as best he could.
"Overheard it from the Raiders Club bartender. Just checking, right?"
"Yeah."
Kim Jun felt strange.
To think he'd lie so naturally.
He never believed in always telling the truth. What surprised him was the thrill—like luring an enemy into a trap by feigning an opening in battle.
Then his phone rang.
"Hold on."
An Seong-ho said.
Kim Jun nodded, and An Seong-ho answered. His face twisted immediately. The ugliest expression yet.
He hung up and looked at Kim Jun.
"That bastard Jeong Myeong-ho... he's kidnapped Baek Seungtae."
Jeong Myeong-ho? Baek Seungtae?
Kim Jun stayed silent. Not enough info to speculate. Once An Seong-ho calmed, he'd explain.
An Seong-ho drained his water cup, exhaled deeply, and recounted what Baek Seungtae had told him when he came looking.
The expedition leader wanted to meet Baek Seungtae?
Why?
Kim Jun posed questions to himself, sifting answers until he pinpointed what Jeong Myeong-ho sought from Baek Seungtae.
Acquiring the Thunder Brain Sword was public knowledge now. But the process of finding it... never revealed. Only Kim Jun and Baek Seungtae knew the truth.
That made Jeong Myeong-ho's goal clear.
Gonggak. He'd tried to confirm if Kim Jun had Gonggak through Baek Seungtae.
Another question followed.
Why was Jeong Myeong-ho interested in Gonggak?
A fragment of knowledge surfaced.
Mana vortex.
If detection items like Legio or searcher failed in a mana vortex, even if B Group entered the relic successfully, finding dungeon items would be tough.
Could the sixth sense detecting qi and mana—Gonggak—help in that? If so, it explained Jeong Myeong-ho's actions.
"...My fault. My fault. If I'd gone with him, this wouldn't have happened."
An Seong-ho, blaming himself, looked anxious.
Kim Jun pulled out his Leaderbook and opened it. He entered "Gonggak" and "relic" in the portal search.
A few news hits popped up. One was an interview by Daily Raider reporter Park Myeong-hoon.
Park Myeong-hoon: In this relic raid, you acquired the famous King of Rings. Could you tell our readers about the process?
Lee Hwan: It was a simple quest. Enter the relic, scout around, smash any monsters that pop out, stumble on the ring, and bring it home. Turns out it was the King of Rings.
Park Myeong-hoon: Impressive as always. Any difficulties during the raid?
Lee Hwan: One of the teams in the expedition had issues. I'll report it officially to the Association for action.
Park Myeong-hoon: What kind of issues?
Lee Hwan: Insurrection. A few will be stripped of their gear.
Park Myeong-hoon: You secured a world-class item even in a dire crisis.
Lee Hwan: With idiots and a mana vortex making it tough, but since I'm a Gonggak Raider, I found the King of Rings.
Park Myeong-hoon: The sixth sense known as Gonggak?
Lee Hwan: Yes.
An interview dripping with arrogance. Kim Jun focused on the Gonggak mention.
Lee Hwan had said it publicly, so Gonggak definitely worked in mana vortex zones. That matched Jeong Myeong-ho's interest in Baek Seungtae.
What Jeong Myeong-ho wanted... a Gonggak Raider. Something had gone wrong in B Group's relic interior simulation. Likely their detection buffer struggling with the mana vortex.
Kim Jun looked at An Seong-ho.
Finally reining in his emotions, An Seong-ho spoke.
"Can't call the cops. Might get Seungtae killed."
"No cops needed. Call Jeong Myeong-ho now. Put him through to me."
"...What?"
"He's after me."
An Seong-ho nodded slowly and raised his phone.
Kim Jun figured An Seong-ho already knew why Jeong Myeong-ho targeted Baek Seungtae. Quick thinker, great emotional control, fast recovery. Perfect for Uramata.
An Seong-ho handed over the phone.
Kim Jun put it to his ear.
"Disappointing, Captain."
―You?
Shock clear in his voice.
"Let's meet and talk."
Silence flowed.
Kim Jun waited quietly. He was gambling Baek Seungtae's life. If Jeong Myeong-ho was interested in him and accepted the meet, Baek Seungtae would live.
―Fine. Come alone.
Jeong Myeong-ho gave the location and hung up first.
Kim Jun handed back the phone and stood.
"Let's go."
"...You know the spot?"
"Yeah. You drive. Got stuff to do on the way."
"Got it."
The part-timer seemed to recognize him and had paper and pen ready for a signature, but Kim Jun couldn't oblige now.
"Later."
The two left the coffee shop.
As An Seong-ho drove in silence, Kim Jun sat shotgun and opened his Leaderbook.
Searching "Gonggak" filled the screen with info.
He'd looked it up before, but the Leaders Portal—accessible only to team leaders and above—was on another level.
Even unlimited access to Gonggak research papers.
One button for foreign paper translations, faster at higher levels. At his rank, it'd take at least ten days.
Gotta restart English studies.
Conclusion after seeing dozens of times more English papers than Korean ones.
Skimming Gonggak paper titles and authors, one name popped up often.
Seoul National University Physics Professor Hwang Mun-jo.
Research on Differences and Similarities Between Gonggak and General Senses, The Impact of Gonggak on Raider Growth, Statistical Study on Gonggak Emergence Conditions, Exploring Links Between Gonggak and Genetics—a true Gonggak expert.
Kim Jun clicked The Impact of Gonggak on Raider Growth.
It was in Korean.
Korean, but... incomprehensible.
Sensory stagnation superiority crossover studies, inactive psychological stimulation, exclusive cognitive info networks—words he could read, but not grasp.
Would take time.
"We're here."
An Seong-ho said.
An old warehouse loomed ahead.
"Let's go."
Kim Jun got out first.