Chapter 8
Chapter 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Chapter 2. What the Hell is This Mess?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Ranking No. 1 Nickname Spring? (Comments: 4213)
Content: The ranking reveal was shocking, the ranks were shocking, but the moment I saw the No. 1 name, I forgot everything.
└Me too
└Me too 222 lololol didn't even know you could change player names
└333 The system's kinda inconvenient
└I wanna call customer service, at least give us a manual
└Hello, is this the system? Bring my dead family back you bastard
└Sudden silence ▶◀
└But seeing No. 2 is also Lee Pil-yeon, maybe the ones who knew you could change it already did lololol No. 2 is obviously Lee Woo-yeon
└Even if changed, why of all things Pil-yeon lololol He definitely knows his internet nickname is Monami
└What the hell are you talking about?
└It's from the search block on LEE Woo-yeon nickname yeah. Even if Forever Guild just posts a sighting, he shows up and makes them delete it…… It's not Woo-yeon but Pil-yeon, but then that got sued too so it became not Pil-yeon, it's a pencil. Pencil means Monami^^ lololol
└Wandering Pilgrim…… shorten it and it's Banggu
└You bastard delete that now
└No. 1-nim is here
└But this isn't the time to laugh…… So who the hell is that ranker anyway?
└Rumor is the government knows but isn't announcing. Scared Monami might get offended and slit their throats
└Monami's personality that bad?
└Can't you tell by his face? Probably lives up to it
└Face is top-tier though
└Is Monami the only problem? Gyesu-nim too…… I love Ranking No. 3. Gyesu-nim is No. 1 in my heart ☆
└Yeah, Gyesu-nim vs Monami was basically a rivalry match but now it's official
└Goyeon match^^;
└No, that's just No. 3 fans talking. Dark swordsman vs mage, mobility alone and Monami wins
└That's why they said don't rank them; you wanna rank people risking their lives?
└System did it anyway lol
└Hunters have pride from risking their lives. Ranking all hunters is basically starting fights between them…… System really wants humans extinct
└Agreed.
└Anyway, saying the government knows No. 1's identity is bullshit. I'm a pretty high-rank hunter and I've never seen anyone with that name in dungeons
└I'm not a hunter, but how do you see other people's player names?
└Clear a dungeon and the system shows the all-time clearer list. Never seen that player name though. For a No. 1 ranker, they'd have cleared Korea's S-rank dungeons dozens of times. But nada.
└One-line summary: Ranking reveal shocking, Monami not No. 1 also shocking, no one knowing No. 1's identity also shocking
└That's not one line
└Why'd you leave out No. 1 nickname?
└That one's not shocking, it's hilarious
└No. 1-nim here y-
“Are you listening, Hunter Lee Woo-yeon?”
Lee Woo-yeon, in the middle of typing comments, tore his eyes from the phone screen and looked up. Kim Seong-yeon was staring at him with furrowed brows.
“I asked why you were out of contact for a week.”
“I already answered that.”
“You didn't.”
“Ah, you knew it was one line, huh.”
Kim Seong-yeon's brows creased further at the nonchalant tone, but the next words from Lee Woo-yeon were so shocking he forgot to get angry.
“I went out to play and got caught in a sudden dungeon.”
“What? Where!”
“It's cleared, so location doesn't matter. It's spontaneous, won't appear again. Wasn't a high-rank dungeon, but bad matchup for me so it took a while.”
“You were trapped in a dungeon alone for a week?”
“Yeah, only I got pulled in, and phones don't work inside so couldn't request rescue.”
“Th-then you should've said something!”
“I just did.”
Kim Seong-yeon's eyes shook at those words. As a frontline hunter himself, he knew how grueling it was to get caught in a sudden dungeon.
Plus, Lee Woo-yeon barely cleared it after a week of suffering. Had to have been an insanely tough one.
“I... I didn't know and made a suffering person…….”
Lee Woo-yeon plainly heard Kim Seong-yeon's self-recrimination but didn't bother explaining he'd only been trapped for a mere three hours.
The mistaken one's fault.
Well, his mood had been sour for the past week from that three-hour ordeal, so ignoring all calls including from the Eternal Guild Master was true enough.
“Anyway, tell me why you called.”
“You must know. It's been a week, but the rankings came out.”
“Oh, the one where I'm No. 2 and Guild Master is No. 10?”
Kim Seong-yeon's eye twitched.
Eternal Guild was Korea's largest hunter group. Five years ago, amid the chaos, Kim Seong-yeon had lured many hunters by touting himself as Korea's top hunter.
But now, after five years, rankings out and he's No. 10.
Sure, high rank.
But not as advertised, and he'd probably pegged himself right after Lee Woo-yeon, so personal pride stung.
Couldn't ignore external or internal gazes.
Who knows, might flip the table and start a fight. But Kim Seong-yeon seemed to prioritize answers despite the offense, holding back.
Lee Woo-yeon slightly furrowed his brows.
‘Hmm, sparks flying but not lunging yet.’
“……Yeah, the government called. They hoped the No. 1 would self-report, but no contact, so if I had guesses, let them know.”
“Nope.”
“Really…… none?”
Asking again after one answer. Lee Woo-yeon smiled with crinkled eyes. Inner displeasure.
Kim Seong-yeon, knowing that habit well, clicked his tongue inwardly. Kid barely twenty-five acting like that.
“What suspicion exactly?”
“Government, me, people—all think it's weird. You not being No. 1.”
Lee Woo-yeon smirked, lips curling.
“You're gilding my face too much…… Honestly, you know Korea's hunter pool better than me. Obvious, right?”
“That's the problem, I don't know.”
Kim Seong-yeon tsked. No unknown hunter capable of clearing high dungeons in Korea.
“Did you contact Professor Sook-ja?”
“Too scared to call her myself. But government did, and she said she doesn't know.”
“Our professor seems displeased.”
Lee Woo-yeon brightly drummed fingers on the table. Professor Kim Sook-ja doesn't know, huh.
“Well, No. 1 popped out of nowhere.”
“Didn't know she cared about rankings.”
“Truth is, I'm not comfortable either.”
Kim Seong-yeon interjected. Creased eyes showed his irritation.
Lee Woo-yeon perked up with interest.
“Oh dear, sorry my lowly self took No. 2.”
“Don't tease. No complaints about your rank, Hunter Lee Woo-yeon. Your massive contributions to clears over nearly five years are obvious fact.”
Sure, globally others have more feats. But system specified rankings as 'Korea server' limited.
“So you acknowledge that, but…… suddenly someone else pops up.”
Tone laced with sharp thorns. Displeasure of territory invasion.
Lee Woo-yeon's eyes narrowed.
“No guesses in Korea at all…… You really don't know, Hunter Lee Woo-yeon?”
Lee Woo-yeon smiled brighter.
“……So~ what suspicion, I'm asking?”
“Maybe.”
Kim Seong-yeon mimed slitting throat.
Lee Woo-yeon let out a disbelieving ha, scoffing.
“How do you steal No. 1 from some unknown? Ah, or did everyone hunt me down thinking I murdered them?”
“Can't say no.”
“Sorry to disappoint, unlike you all, No. 2 doesn't bruise my pride. Rather glad. Means another strong hunter contributing to Korea's dungeon stability besides me.”
But Kim Seong-yeon didn't buy the angelic trumpet speech.
Initially fooled by that praised media looks, but now knew his nature too well to take words at face value.
“No, feat calculation makes it weirder. Feats given by dungeon clear contributions, so we'd have met in dungeons normally.”
“Could've solo-cleared without us knowing.”
“That make sense?”
Of course not.
First, Lee Woo-yeon had tried changing player name. Knew restrictions: once per month max.
Korea has five S-rank fixed dungeons, three in Seoul. No unknown names in their all-time clearer lists.
Sure, changed right before rankings, but those potentially out-feating him were already real-named in top 10.
“So cleared only spontaneous dungeons—not S-rank fixed with lists—to rack up No. 1 feats…….”
“Impossible. Spontaneouses aren't that frequent. You get caught unusually often though.”
Lee Woo-yeon deliberately tapped the table. To keep Kim Seong-yeon focused on his words, not thoughts.
As planned, eyes met, Lee Woo-yeon casually dropped:
“Or…… maybe has a skill to fool the system.”
“Skill fooling the system?”
Kim Seong-yeon realized prior words mere fluff, this Lee Woo-yeon's real conclusion.
Lee Woo-yeon shrugged, intent landed.
“As Guild Master says, Korea-limited, out-feating me impossible. Only one conclusion?”
“Skill fooling system…… possible?”
“More credible than unknown out-feating me secretly in Korea?”
“True. Hypothesis only, but if true, approach No. 1 cautiously.”
“Right. No info on them. If dangerous type and we approach carelessly…….”
Lee Woo-yeon slashed throat.
Kim Seong-yeon gravely nodded. Lee Woo-yeon knew this hypothesis would go to government as Eternal Guild's stance.
Lee Woo-yeon stood.
“Anyway, no contact til next Gangnam dungeon cooldown.”
“Why again?”
“You got ranking rewards, No. 10?”
“……Yeah, but why?”
“No. 10 probably decent item.”
Kim Seong-yeon sighed at the transparent question. Jealous of others' gear?
Lee Woo-yeon was gear-obsessed.
“Mine's nothing compared to yours. Curious? Can lend, guildmate.”
“Not curious. No need to lend.”
Lee Woo-yeon turned away.
Kim Seong-yeon chuckled at his back. Childish side under youthful face.
“By the way, no need to tell me what you got.”
“Thanks for the consideration.”
Lee Woo-yeon took elevator to first floor from guild master's office. Through glass, wide eight-lane Gangnam road looked toy-like.
Finally, face back to usual blank.
‘So Guild Master got an item.’
Personalized rewards, as expected.
What did other rankers get? Lee Woo-yeon wondered.
Especially No. 1 Wandering Pilgrim…… no, Wandering Pilgrim? Whatever, dude.
‘Whatever I say, they'll hunt No. 1 anyway.’
Hope ranking rewards block this mess.
Fun absurd hypothesis tossed as bait, but Lee Woo-yeon didn't expect hunters to drop No. 1 pursuit over his words.
Kim Seong-yeon alone showed clear hostility to new No. 1.
Eternal Guild profited most from dungeon breaks via hunter business, bought and built up Gangnam building with cash.
Top floor: Kim Seong-yeon's office.
Media and politicians beg, but elevator rarely opens.
In just five years, new class in Korea.
Initially chaos survival frenzy, now adapting.
Five years ago, lost families friends; hunters saviors. Name-known ones like Lee Woo-yeon stars among them.
Now rankings: more so. Like it or not.
Don't know why system appeared.
Don't know what system is.
But Lee Woo-yeon sensed its purpose.
Some idolized in tragedy for survival; others despised peaceful humans while fighting.
This too.
Dungeons easier, society stable, net leisure for dungeon/hunter chatter.
Hunters past survival, now chasing self-interests—sudden No. 1 no boon.
Like tectonic shift in stabilizing zone.
If Lee Woo-yeon's right……
‘We'll meet soon enough.’
Waiting for elevator, Lee Woo-yeon grinned.
Stay alive til then, No. 1.