No S-Rank is Normal
"Huuuuh…."
Smoke billowed out long and hazy, filling the dim, secluded room. Wait, looking closer—it wasn't a cigarette? In Kim Hee-jeong's illusion, what I had in my mouth was a cigar. She really saw me as some Italian mafia type.
"Guild Master. Is it coming out well?"
"Yeah."
The flash on the back of the phone lit up, illuminating the raw scene. It looked like she was filming it all just like this.
What's that about?
I tuned into Kim Hee-jeong's voice.
"Now you've got one more weakness on her."
"Something like that. But I doubt one video will make that tomboy behave."
"Then make it more than one."
"Hm. You think?"
"Yes. Shall I film another? Please take good care of me, Director."
Her voice was soft and sweet, but her expression was that of a notorious villainess. Kim Hee-jeong reached out toward Jin Seong-ah again. One hand gripped her hair tight, the other wrapped around her throat.
"Seong-ah. Let's finish up quick?"
"Ah, ngh, ack, ugh…."
"Should I squeeze? It's fine if you die. The Guild Master's right here."
……No. That comment made me seriously question Kim Hee-jeong's mental state.
"Guhk…?!!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Kim Hee-jeong shoved Jin Seong-ah's head down to my crotch in the illusion. Her throat bulged out to her collarbone, swallowing my cock whole. Kkuuuk. Kim Hee-jeong's hand clamped down on that throat.
"Hurry and suck it good to please the Vice Guild Master…? Unless you don't want to die."
"……."
And in the illusion, I just took it all in stride. Soon enough, I grabbed the back of Jin Seong-ah's head and pressed down hard. Her flushed face started turning blue. Her throat convulsed. Semen refluxed out through the gaps in her lips and her nose.
Even if it's an illusion, this is kinda much.
Watching myself from a third-person view wasn't sitting right—especially something this embarrassing.
"Good girl. Seong-ah. You didn't die, huh? Lucky."
"Keh, hek, ah, keh…hiiik?!"
"Oh my. You can't do that."
Jin Seong-ah hacked and tried to spit out the semen. Kim Hee-jeong grabbed her chin and forced a kiss, shoving her tongue in. The semen spilling from her mouth got pushed back inside. Jin Seong-ah's throat gulped loudly.
"There."
Kim Hee-jeong pressed hard on her jaw where her molars met, forcing her mouth open. In the illusion, I reached out and held her gaping mouth in place.
"How is it, Vice Guild Master? She swallowed it all."
"…Not bad."
I said it while staring off into space, puffing on the cigar.
"But why'd you say you couldn't do it?"
"Ahh, ahh, aaa…."
"Seong-ah."
I brought the burning tip of the cigar to her gasping, heaving face.
"When someone's asking, you answer."
"Kkuhiiit…!!"
"If I didn't want an answer, I'd raise a dog or a cat—not you. Right?"
"Ahh, yes, heeet…."
Ugh. This is getting to me…. I think I'd done something similar to Shin Ji-hye, but that was mutual unspoken consent—and no cigar burns. Anyway, in Kim Hee-jeong's illusion, I was a total thug asshole.
"Get up."
"…Pardon?"
I yanked out Jin Seong-ah's tongue, not getting what I meant, and….
"Kkuuuuh…!!"
……Ugh, can't watch. Being a hunter means gore movies in real life, so I'm immune to most shit, but even I had to look away from what came next.
"Seong-ah."
"Y-yes, yes, het! Guild Master! It's Seong-ah…!"
"Get up."
"Yes, et!"
The now obedient Jin Seong-ah forced a bright reply and stood up. She shoved the bottle and plate of dried fruit to one end of the table, then lay down on it like she was serving herself up.
In the illusion, I approached with my cock slick from her saliva….
……And then.
"Hee-jeong."
"What's up, honey?"
"What do you usually watch? Movies or dramas?"
I asked right after emerging from that utterly depraved illusion. This woman seriously needed therapy—from a pro, not me. Maybe introduce her to Team Leader Choi Mi-ra. She's got a psych counseling background, and as fellow S-ranks, no issues there.
"Why? Getting curious about me, honey?"
"Yeah, a bit."
"Lately… I think it was The Flickering Match Girl in Midwinter."
Kim Hee-jeong smiled sweetly as she said it. I pulled out my phone and searched right away.
"…Nothing comes up."
"Not Google—search Hunter Web."
"Ah."
Figures it wouldn't be on Google. Feeling uneasy, I searched again. The results were something closer to a snuff film that wouldn't even get an 19+ rating. Loosely based on the match girl selling herself when matches wouldn't sell, spiraling slowly into ruin. Even hunters who ignore laws mostly reacted with "this is too much."
"No. Don't watch stuff like this. Y'know how turning on the TV always has melodramas? Watching only this kinda shit will make you jaded."
"What can I do, honey? My job's crafting hunter images and marketing them. Gotta think what clicks with other hunters."
"Not marketing to civilians?"
"Nah, honey, you don't get it. Civvie market's already a red ocean."
Kim Hee-jeong waved it off.
"It's turned into the idol biz. No hunter can appeal to everyone anymore. So what do you do?"
"…Build a loyal fanbase?"
"Right. Where do those fans come from? Fans of hunters you already like go, 'Hey, this one's pretty good lately,' and check 'em out naturally. And it's not just that."
Kim Hee-jeong listed a few titles, and I searched them. There were some 'normal' melodramas like I mentioned, plus action, thrillers, etc. The issue? All Hunter Web standards. Melodramas had explicit sex scenes, action had uncensored deaths. Probably fake blood, but still.
"My tastes are just broad-spectrum normal, honey. And compared to what we see daily, this is nothing, right?"
"…True."
"Remember, honey? That massive gate in Gangwon-do. We hunkered in trenches for months. How's this compare?"
Early gate days. Before 'hunter' was a clear thing. When hunters and military tackled gates together. That hellish memory made me frown involuntarily.
"…Yeah. This is whatever."
"You get it, huh? Guys these days are pussies and hate women like this."
"Still, maybe tone it down. Eating salty food every day wrecks your stomach. Gotta know bland sometimes."
"Oh, really? Sorry. Can't taste food anyway."
……Bad analogy. I apologized to Kim Hee-jeong and continued.
"My bad on the metaphor. Anyway… don't go too extreme. It'll wear you down without realizing."
"Heh… You're so pro for a newbie guide, honey. Suits you?"
Pro? Anyone peeking into Kim Hee-jeong's desires would say the same. The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't voice it. Instead, I pulled out some paper.
"Anyway, Hee-jeong. You wanna keep the guiding sessions?"
"Feels like solo dates with you, honey. Not bad. Yeah, regular ones."
"Alright. I'll report that."
"Report? To who?"
"To me."
"What?"
Kim Hee-jeong's eyes narrowed, then she burst out laughing.
"Ow, my sides. Nothing funny, but you're hilarious, honey."
"Good. I'll contact you next time, Hee-jeong."
"Yeah, honey. Waiting~."
I nodded slightly to the waving, nail-art-adorned hand and left the marketing team.
……S-ranks are no joke.
Back at the elevator, I glanced at the directory. Next up….
"Baek Seol."
1st Hunter Team Leader, Baek Seol. Honestly, awkward to run into. Answers yes/no to everything, always blank-faced. Not human-like—kinda scary. Lots of hunters aren't 'human,' but she's extreme.
"…Still, job's a job."
I muttered and hit the button.
"Team Leader Baek Seol? She's out right now."
"Ah… really?"
"Yes, on a mission. Why her, Senior?"
35th floor, 1st Hunter Team. Fresh off hunter duty, my ID got me in. Looking for Baek Seol, a junior hunter approached and told me she was gone.
"Ah. I'm her guide handler."
"You, Senior?"
"Yeah. Guild Master's orders. Why?"
"…Senior, don't tell anyone."
The junior glanced around and whispered.
"Team Leader Baek Seol… hates men."
"……Really?"
"Yes. We rotate teams periodically—for injuries, rank changes, etc."
"Yeah?"
"But 1st Team's never had a male hunter assigned. Not even non-combat support. Zero."
"……."
Didn't know. I was always 3rd Hunter Team Leader. HR handles assignments, so I figured.
"Uh… yeah?"
"Yes. Someone asked HR why 1st Team's all women… Turns out Team Leader really hates men. Won't share space."
"……."
Really? The Baek Seol I knew wasn't like that. We were together in that Gangwon-do gate mess Kim Hee-jeong mentioned. Reading my face, the junior continued.
"You're not on her team, Senior, and don't cross paths much work-wise. Probably tolerates you?"
"…Maybe? Could be."
"That's the word among 1st Team hunters. Our guild's all-female S-ranks? Probably 'cause of her…."
"S-ranks skew female anyway, right?"
"Dunno. But weird, yeah? Guild our size should have twenty S-ranks easy. Only nine. Oh, Secretary Lee Chae-eun's pending S-rank makes ten—still low."
Pretty convincing. If Baek Seol really hates men that much? Explains avoiding me, only talking to Shin Ji-hye behind my back?
……Could be. Tricky.
"Got it. Thanks."
"Thanks? Buy me food later."
"Dude, you make way more than me—shouldn't you buy?"
"You're senior."
"Who said hunter world's merit-based?"
"Ugh, seniors get petty…."
"I'll buy then."
Bantered with the junior, promised food, and headed down.
Went to 2nd Hunter Team for Park Ha-neul—same answer as 1st.
"…Both 2nd and 3rd Leaders out?"
"Yes, Senior."
This time a male 2nd Team A-rank top-trier, polite even to D-rank me.
"All team leaders out on external missions. Won't be back today."
"Damn…."
"Problem?"
"I'm handling S-rank guiding, wanted to meet 'em. No clue when missions end?"
"Classified. Probably three days?"
"Yeah. Guess I come back in three."
"Yes. I'll tell our leader."
"O. Thanks. Food later—hit me up."
"Yes, Senior. Good luck."
Returned his 90-degree bow and hit the elevator.
"1st, 2nd, 3rd Leaders all out… Left with…."
Medical Team Leader Do Hyun-ah, Guide Team Leader Choi Mi-ra. Guide Leader's my boss, so later. Then….
"Do Hyun-ah."
Do Yun-ah's twin sister, 3rd Hunter Team Leader. I hit the button for Medical Team.