Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Saves the World
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The next morning, I immediately went through the discharge procedures. Even though hospital bills were cheap, my finances weren't exactly flush right now.
After getting discharged, I headed straight to the hotel where I'd been staying.
While checking out, the hotel staff—who had heard I was a Hunter—kindly asked if my injuries were okay. I apologized for being carried out covered in blood.
After paying the hospital bill, a week's hotel stay, and other expenses, I was left with just about a million won.
Stepping outside with my luggage, the wind felt cold.
Ah, where should I stash this bag?
It was just one suitcase of clothes, but I had no idea where I'd crash tonight. I'd have to look for a cheaper place later.
Anyway, now was the time to hustle.
First, I stopped by the Hunter registration office, which was combined with the community center. The final registration process was surprisingly simple.
Since I'd already done the preliminary online registration, I just summoned an item from my inventory, showed it to the office worker, and got it verified.
The weary civil servant nodded curtly at the low-grade potion I pulled out.
"Yes, confirmed. I've submitted the approval request, so you should be able to check it in three days to a week. If it's not approved after a week, it's due to incomplete information, so please resubmit."
Fighting, Korean bureaucracy......
After leaving the Hunter registration office, I checked the time. Even after finishing my errands, it was only 1:30 p.m.
My appointment with Lee Woo-yeon was at 4:00.
That's right. After some hesitation, I'd decided to go to the address he'd given me today.
Of course, I'd been wary at first.
What kind of scheme is this?
Why invite me to his house of all places?
Even if we need to avoid prying eyes, do we really have to meet at yours?
When I asked outright, Lee Woo-yeon replied:
—My place is the best for dodging people's eyes.
"Isn't your house usually the most spotlighted spot? Like with Hunters staking it out or reporters camped outside?"
—No, the area around my house is an unspoken no-go zone for Hunters. Reporters don't come either.
......What kind of life has he lived to make that happen?
I was skeptical, but if he was telling the truth, avoiding public eyes was in my best interest too.
Even if it was a trap, a week had passed, so I could use the Cloak Honoring the Hero, making it worth the risk.
Anyway, that left me with some time until 4:00.
What should I do in the meantime?
But before I knew it, I'd wandered into a street food joint that caught my eye and was scarfing down tteokbokki and tuna kimbap. Next thing I knew, I was holding a sweet potato latte from a nearby cafe.
By the time I finished the blueberry cheesecake, it was already 3:00.
Felt like I'd taken a trip to Carb Heaven.
The address Lee Woo-yeon gave me was an apartment near Gwanghwamun Station.
At first, he'd offered to send a car to a place of my choosing. But I had errands and didn't feel like it, so I said I'd take public transport. Then he insisted on coming to pick me up himself.
Since I knew I'd get lost alone, I just agreed.
I got off at Gwanghwamun Station at a reasonable time.
Up to here, everything was on plan without a hitch. But when I tried to stash my suitcase in the station's coin lockers, they were all full.
Should've booked a cheap motel ahead and left my stuff there.
Too late now.
With no choice, I lugged the suitcase, asking passersby for directions until I found Exit 9 and stepped outside.
Just as promised, Lee Woo-yeon was waiting for me in front of the Yi Sun-sin statue near Gwanghwamun Station.
It was exactly 4:00 p.m.
It was a winter afternoon, but the clear weather kept it bright outside.
The cloudless sky and sunlight should've lit up Lee Woo-yeon's face...... but it didn't.
He had a scarf covering half his face, plus a hat and sunglasses.
With that stunningly pretty face hidden, he just looked like a lanky snowman.
"What, you a celebrity or something?"
"And you look ready for a trip?"
Our greeting was as refreshing as ever.
Lee Woo-yeon pulled his scarf down a bit to look at me and frowned.
"Why are you dressed so lightly? It's walkable, so I didn't bring the car. Guess we'll take a taxi."
He held out his hand as he spoke. I stared at it, puzzled.
"What, still hung up on a handshake?"
......"Hand over the suitcase. The suitcase."
I kept staring at his hand. He wiggled it impatiently.
Why's he offering to carry my bag? Is he mocking my below-average strength......?
Suspicious as it was, the suitcase was heavy.
I handed it over without protest.
Lee Woo-yeon lifted the suitcase effortlessly with one hand.
Showing off your strength now?
"What, it's so light? Did you even pack anything?"
Everything he does is so infuriating......! Once my strength recovers, just you wait......!
I glared at Lee Woo-yeon's back as he hailed a taxi. Could I land a punch right now? But the sharp-eyed guy quickly tossed the suitcase in the trunk and hopped into the back seat.
He said it was close, and sure enough, the taxi arrived in just five minutes.
The place was a famous apartment complex I'd even heard of ten years ago.
As I got out and looked around, Lee Woo-yeon urged me on with the suitcase in hand.
"What're you doing? Come on in."
"No prying eyes, right?"
"It's not that. It's just cold today."
Hey, no need to treat me like some fragile patient. One wrong word and suddenly I'm an invalid......
Urged by Lee Woo-yeon, I entered the apartment lobby.
We took the elevator to the top floor. He opened the front door and let me in.
"Oh, give me your jacket. I'll hang it up."
I thought he was just good at being annoying, but his manners were top-notch. First impressions don't lie.
Cunning fox, indeed.
Amazed, I handed over my puffer jacket.
The building looked dated from the outside and didn't seem to suit him, but inside was spotless—remodeled, maybe.
Actually, spotless was an understatement. It was empty.
The living room had a sofa and table. The kitchen had a dining table and two chairs.
Couldn't see the bedroom with the door closed, but it was probably the same. Just the bare minimum for living.
"This is your place?"
"For now, yeah. Sort of."
"For now?"
"It's my official residence. Usually, after raiding a dungeon, I'm beat, so I crash at the nearest house."
"You have multiple houses?"
"Of course. All over the country. Hotels make me edgy after raids. I come here maybe once or twice a month. Only two dungeons nearby that need me...... Ah, that was suffocating."
Having sorted my jacket and suitcase, Lee Woo-yeon finally ditched the scarf, glasses, and hat. Must've been stifling.
For the first time today, his full face was revealed.
The afternoon sunlight streaming through the living room window sharply outlined his features.
The more I look, the less I can get used to that face.
"Have a seat for now. Coffee? Tea?"
"Whatever."
He sat me on the living room sofa and fetched coffee from the kitchen.
Even the coffee cup and saucer were pristine and pretty.
"You don't live here—how'd you have all this ready?"
He gave me a look like I'd said something weird.
"Bought it yesterday. You're coming over, so of course."
......"Y-you little......"
Fox bastard...... I swallowed the words I couldn't spit out.
Lee Woo-yeon's no pushover—that much was clear.
But he clearly held some goodwill toward me, or at least acted like it.
Probably the latter. No real reason for him to like me.
......Guys who play hard to get like this are a pain to deal with.
Oblivious or not to my inner cursing, the fox bastard dragged a chair over and sat across the living room table.
"By the way, can't keep calling you 'that guy' or 'you' forever. Won't tell me your name?"
Fair point.
I opened my mouth reluctantly.
......"My name?"
"Yeah, your name. For reference, I'm Lee Woo-yeon."
He flashed a grin, pressuring me silently.
I hesitated a bit.
I had no base in Korea, so I'd need plenty of favors from him moving forward.
I needed to keep things amicable with him, and introducing myself properly was basic manners.
Still, giving my name felt off...... What could he dig up from just a name?
Screw it. I steeled myself.
His help was essential anyway. Whatever he found out, I'd deal.
That wasn't the priority now.
......"Kang Ye-na."
"I see. Kang Ye-na-ssi."
He repeated my name like savoring it, then finally smiled contentedly.
Those three syllables did a number on him.
He lounged back, leg crossed, chin propped, grinning ear to ear.
"I thought your real name was 'Wandering Pilgrim' or something."
......"You wanna get punched?"
"So, how old are you? I'm twenty-five this year."
This time, I shut my mouth.
Subjectively, I was thirty, but by Korean registry, twenty-five.
Part of me wanted to say thirty and lecture him Confucian-style: 'Don't get cocky, kid!' But if he asked for my resident number, I'd be busted.
Seeing me silent, Lee Woo-yeon hummed pleasantly.
"Well, let's skip that? We're meeting for business today anyway."
......"Yeah, whatever. Ask what you want."
I'd come prepared.
It must seem absurd from his perspective.
Lee Woo-yeon was famous for focusing solely on dungeon raids for the five years since dungeons and the System appeared.
Then some no-name shows up and snags Rank 1. His suspicion was natural.
"Ask anything. I'll answer."
If he asked how I became Rank 1, I'd tell the truth.
I'd raided dungeons in another world for ten years—that's why.
The secret he couldn't know wasn't that I'd returned from another world, but that right now, without the Cloak Honoring the Hero, I was no better than a civilian.
Luckily, he'd seen me in action. He wouldn't doubt I had Rank 1 chops.
Better to reveal one truth and divert attention.
Ideally, he'd see me as some otherworldly powerhouse and stay wary, or dismiss me as a nutjob and keep distance.
Just until I recovered enough stats to handle other rankers.
I watched him tensely.
Okay, what first?
"Gonna ask something? Me?"
But he widened his eyes and poked his own cheek with his index finger.
His cheek dimpled under the finger.
That cute-to-ridiculous sight melted my tension.
......"What're you doing?"
"What I'm saying. You begged to meet me ASAP. Eagerly."
There was a slight twist in his words, but that wasn't the point.
......"Well, yeah, but......"
I hesitated, then broached it.
"Not gonna ask?"
"Ask what? How you became Rank 1? Why you're hiding your skills? Or why no one knew you existed?"
He ticked off fingers, then smirked.
"Or why your player name taste is so...... unique?"
"Hey!"
He grinned as I shook my fist. He knew and was poking anyway—masterful.
"Why bother asking when you'd dodge or lie anyway?"
"No, I was gonna tell the truth."
"Sure, your version of truth. What's the point? Might be fun, though."
Understanding his intent, I clammed up.
He'd already pegged that I was hiding something—and wasn't gonna pry. A show of goodwill.
That was weirder.
I studied his face closely.
It looked genuine, natural.
"And I'm not hung up on System rankings. Why doesn't anyone believe me? As long as you raid dungeons properly, I'm fine. That last fight proves you do."
"Anyone else" who'd questioned his attitude?
His nonchalance was odd.
Honestly, I'd be pissed in his shoes. Any Hunter risking life in dungeons builds pride.
I tilted my head.
Not sincere? No. So why?
But he cut my thoughts short.
"So, what do you need? Must be urgent if you wanted to meet today."
"No, you called for today?"
Still, I was in a hurry. After a nod, I pulled items from my inventory—rewards from slaying the Lich.
'Wraith's Staff' and 'Wraith's Crown.'
"First, these from that sudden Dungeon Break. Can you sell them for me? Fee's fine."
"Ah, right, can't sell direct at Hunter Store. Easy enough. Keep the change. Next?"
He gestured for more, pretty face in an arrogant pose—extra infuriating.
Fair enough, down to business. I glared at my untouched coffee, then resolved.
"Remember that System Message from then? Weird, right?"
"Yeah, weird. But System Messages are weird plenty."
Hearing that, I doubted my ears.