Pink Rules
Sa Yeonggyo’s anger subsided a bit at that voice. If she snapped back even when the other side was approaching it this way, she’d just look like the crazy bitch.
“I’m curious about that too. Why the hell are you spouting that nonsense?”
“Because I want to get stronger.”
“...What?”
Kim Jun looked at Sa Yeonggyo with serious eyes and explained the power of real combat.
She agreed with that part. The greatest appeal of soloing was that facing monsters alone let you grow tremendously in a short time.
Of course, the risk of dying from even a tiny mistake was equally enormous.
“So? What does that have to do with real combat and those rules?”
“If anyone can become team leader, then everyone here becomes my enemy.”
The moment she heard that, Sa Yeonggyo was convinced Kim Jun was truly insane. And at the same time... she was captivated by that tremendous madness.
To turn comrades into enemies just to get stronger.
In that instant, Sa Yeonggyo realized something astonishing.
This guy planned to solo from the team leader position!
The rule was an attempt to turn comrades into rivals, transforming this place into something as close to a dungeon as possible!
Which meant Kim Jun knew full well the team collapse it would bring... and still chose the power of real combat.
He was ignoring a bit of chaos to get stronger.
Even more shocking was that not just Go Cheolmin, but the other team members had accepted this decision. They meant to solo from their own positions too.
Was madness contagious?
“I think only people who want to get stronger should join Pink Team. Those kinds of people won’t see the Pink Rules as infinite competition where you destroy teamwork just to climb. And internal rules are promises among us. If anyone doesn’t need them or they hinder the team’s power, we can gather like this and scrap them. Does that explain it?”
Kim Jun had pierced exactly the concern Sa Yeonggyo harbored. Her grounds for opposition vanished.
“Then let’s make Article 1 absolute obedience to team leader orders.”
Sa Yeonggyo said.
“Good idea.”
Kim Jun glanced at the others.
The Pink Rules were set.
Go Cheolmin wrote them down in his notebook, pressing each character firmly.
Pink Rules
Article 1: Obey the team leader's orders without question.
Article 2: Disregard team leader orders if necessary. But only with reasonable cause.
Article 3: Hierarchy can change anytime. Challenge if dissatisfied. Win, and it reverses. But only once a month.
Article 4: Whoever beats the team leader becomes the new team leader.
They all agreed more discussion was needed on confrontation or evaluation methods.
Go Cheolmin liked Article 1 more than any other clause. If no one had said it, he’d planned to step up and propose something similar for teamwork’s sake.
Yet Sa Yeonggyo had pushed hard to make it official. It was unexpected from a raider who’d gone solo in Africa.
Go Cheolmin read the rules aloud from his notebook. Emotion swelled like a breeze.
Having run a guild, he knew the power these rules held all too well.
New raiders or those clueless about organizations might dismiss them as “just rules,” but they were one of the driving forces propelling a team forward.
Hot emotions cool fast.
Todays forged resolve loosens by tomorrow or the day after.
But concrete rules would exert force a month later, a year later, still.
Go Cheolmin was proud of Kim Jun.
He cherished these team members who’d made such rules.
Guild Master Yoo Wan-seop’s core training system was competition too. In a way, Pink Team had properly implemented his rough outline through these regulations.
He read Article 4 last and closed the notebook. Memories surfaced of first becoming team leader long ago. Now a Pink Team member, he too had the right to challenge for leader.
Just knowing that filled him with strength.
“Whoa, awesome!”
“Is that the Congo set?”
“Sets really are different.”
Go Cheolmin turned at the exclamations.
Sa Yeonggyo stood before the team in full raid gear.
Necklace, bracelet, shoes, and mantle complete, she smiled brightly.
As the Association President’s granddaughter, her items’ quality stood out. Could she have assembled a set like that alone at her age? Maybe the high risks and rewards of African raids made it possible.
Then Kim Jun approached with a stiff face.
“Into the locker room!”
“...Why?”
“Hurry!”
Startled, Sa Yeonggyo stared at Kim Jun in confusion.
The team leader grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the locker room.
Yoo Min-jeong, Skyla, and others rushed after.
“Know why he’s acting like that?”
Choi Muhyun asked.
“No clue.”
It didn’t take long to find out.
Less than five minutes later, a large bus stopped in front of the guildhouse. A bald man got off, chuckling as he entered.
“Equipment Management Division 3, Section Chief Ha Beom-jun here. Team Leader Kim Jun, where are you? I called earlier.”
Kim Jun emerged from the locker room and stood before Ha Beom-jun at blinding speed.
Go Cheolmin was startled by the movement.
Definitely Mokhonbo. The issue was... the basic principles of Tan, Dang, Po, Chu fused into one mass.
Ha Beom-jun extended a hand.
“Ah, you’re way handsomer than on TV.”
“You arrived earlier than scheduled.”
Kim Jun said during the handshake.
“For raider convenience entering dungeons, arriving early anywhere is our Association’s policy and attitude.”
Ha Beom-jun scanned the guildhouse sharply.
Go Cheolmin realized why Kim Jun had rushed Sa Yeonggyo—wearing the Congo set—into the locker room.
If Ha Beom-jun knew, other guilds... especially captains like Jeong Myeong-ho and Kwon Joo-chan in the Sokcho raid, would too.
“Thank you.”
Kim Jun was curt.
Experts unloaded tools from the bus. Some nodded at Go Cheolmin.
All Seoul Item employees. Designated by Equipment Management, CEO Bae Jin-gyu was a famed item maker.
Work began soon.
Standard raid gear was Association-issued to guild raiders, but adjustments for body size and skills required on-site visits like this: tweaking gloves, belts, armor, boots per raider.
Kim Jun tuned with Cheonroegeom in hand. Special fabric was added to gloves for grip.
Ha Beom-jun approached Go Cheolmin.
“Must sting inside.”
Meaning, falling from guild master to mere team member couldn’t feel good.
“Eh.”
Go Cheolmin answered vaguely.
“Pink Team’s unique. Leader has killer gear, but the rest are too honest. Youthful bravado’s fine, but dungeon raids prioritize safety above all, right? Chance for cheap items—interested? Call if tempted.”
Ha Beom-jun handed a business card.
Association employee linking to item dealers, pocketing referral fees. Reporting to Investigation Bureau could land him in cuffs for brokering.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Tell other members too.”
“Sure.”
Go Cheolmin brushed it off.
Ha Beom-jun gave Kim Jun a card too. Expecting a scolding, but surprisingly they chatted well—Ha Beom-jun laughed heartily, saying he hadn’t expected such easy talk.
As Ha Beom-jun moved to Yoo Min-jeong and Choi Muhyun, Go Cheolmin sidled to Kim Jun.
“No need to buy items through guys like that. Could end up with junk.”
“I know. But no need to make enemies either.”
Go Cheolmin eyed Kim Jun briefly.
This kid’s become a sly fox.
Tuning finished.
Ha Beom-jun offered simulator checks since he was there, but Kim Jun blocked it.
“Training time now. Next chance, we’ll do it.”
“Alright.”
Ha Beom-jun left the guildhouse regretfully and boarded the bus.
Kim Jun chatted long with the tuners. Seemed he was pointing out improvements for walkers, belts, etc.
Honk honk.
Bus horn.
Techs hurried aboard; the bus departed.
Everyone gathered by Kim Jun.
“I want to make them underestimate Pink Team as much as possible. Cheonroegeom’s already out, can’t hide that.”
All agreed. This Sokcho raid differed from core-hunting norms. Fighting scarier foes than monsters inside the relic meant minimizing power exposure.
“Alright, exactly 30 minutes of running training now. Time’s short—focus hard.”
Kim Jun started running first. Much faster than usual. Shorter time, same distance.
Complaints rose to his throat but stayed down. Pink Rule Article 1 came to mind.
Obey without question.
Go Cheolmin ran, gasping.
