Chapter 53

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 53

Chapter Title: Welcome to the Throwaway Account Chaos

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Choi Geonwoo leaned deeply back into his chair after hanging ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up the phone.

Just then, as if on cue, someone knocked on the door of his office.

- Master, it's Jeong Inhyuk. May I come in?

"Come in."

Ching-

With his permission, the door slid open automatically.

A man with an angular face entered and bowed his head.

He was Jeong Inhyuk, the B-Rank Hunter who had recently received Choi Geonwoo's orders and gone out on an exploration with his party members.

"What's this about?"

"Yes. I wanted to ask about that gate guide I reported earlier."

"I see."

He nodded, having half-expected this.

He'd only heard the report earlier and sent Jeong away to contact Hayang.

But even as he was leaving, that lingering, uneasy look in his eyes was still vivid in Geonwoo's mind.

"That guide... did you make it, Master?"

"You think that?"

"There's no other possibility. Even if Yeohae or some other S-Rank Hunter made it, they wouldn't hand it over to us."

"Sharp observation."

He was right.

Realistically speaking, it would be more suspicious if they suspected anyone other than ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Choi Geonwoo as the creator.

Other guilds had too many conflicting interests for that to be likely.

And for some third party with no overlapping interests to hand it over...

The quality of that guide was far too high.

Unless some comet-like genius monster had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

It was practically impossible.

'But the trap is that such a monstrous talent has appeared.'

Choi Geonwoo gave a wry smile and crossed his legs.

"Unfortunately, I can't reveal the source of that guide. But I can tell you one thing: it's definitely not something I made."

"Pardon? Not you, Master? Then..."

"Stop speculating there. If you have nothing else, head back."

Jeong Inhyuk's face stiffened at the firm line drawn.

Choi Geonwoo was someone who kept secrets well, but he wasn't the type to hide trivial things.

More precisely, he generally shared most information with his guild members.

For him to hold back like this meant one thing.

The provider of this information was someone who absolutely could not be exposed.

"I'm sorry. Then, one last question."

"Go ahead, ask away."

With that, Jeong Inhyuk dropped his pointless greed and tossed out another prepared question.

"What do you plan to do with that guide? If this info spreads through the hunter world..."

"It'll cause a huge uproar. For better or worse."

But before the words could even finish.

Choi Geonwoo cut in with a smirk.

Gate guide.

Judging purely by content, it was an incredibly valuable item.

Not perfect in every aspect yet.

But mastering just this would allow smooth clears of a significant number of gates.

For F- to C-Rank Hunters, who made up the largest portion of the hunter world.

It would be like a bible to them, especially since it focused on gates below Contamination level, which they were exploring.

'But there will definitely be backlash.'

That said, did this guarantee only positive effects?

Choi Geonwoo was a bit ambiguous on that.

Though the guide mimicked a game's format.

This world wasn't a game.

In games, reading guides was courtesy and essential to avoid hindering others.

To progress content smoothly.

But would reality be the same?

To use a metaphor, gate explorations were like roguelike raid games with no extra lives.

Just one chance. And it was reality.

Interests tangled and clashed.

Some prioritized their own gains over others' lives.

Some desperately tried to steal even a bit more from others' shares.

'Ultimately, closing the information gap isn't welcome news for established hunters.'

That gap was a chance for more money.

More fame.

And to weed out the competition.

That's why veterans were preferred.

But if this guide spread further.

And kept updating.

What if one day it contained info on every gate appearing worldwide?

'Tricky.'

Choi Geonwoo stopped imagining.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Too many futures branched out like countless roots.

But one thing he could assert.

'This is right.'

Even if gaps between hunters narrowed, advantages vanished.

Even if rice bowls were stolen, all sorts of side effects arose.

At the very least, compared to moths flying endlessly to their deaths without knowing what lay beyond the gates.

This felt like a slightly better future.

After the call with Choi Geonwoo ended.

Yuseol and I headed to the Omen Gate together.

It wasn't for gate exploration.

"This should be good to upload, right?"

I showed her the file I'd received from Han Yuseol and asked.

I planned to post it on the Hunter Gallery info board now.

"Yes. By the way, Master, I have one question."

"What is it?"

"Is it really okay to post this valuable info on the community without any compensation? You even turned down the reward Titan's Master offered earlier..."

"Yeah, it's fine. I didn't do it expecting payment from the start."

This was 100% sincere.

If I'd started this for gain.

When handing the guide to Geonwoo, I'd have gauged his reaction.

And proposed a deal if he seemed interested.

"Besides, if I only gave this to specific top guilds, they'd never share it with other guilds or regular hunters."

"True."

"That's what I didn't like. Everyone's risking their lives out there—turning it into a money game with lives on the line."

"Indeed. I'm in awe of your deep compassion, Master."

I gave an awkward smile at Han Yuseol's praise.

It wasn't born from such grand ideals.

Still, glad she saw it that way.

If she'd reacted with 'Are you a sucker?', I'd have teared up.

"Why post it inside the gate, though? You could do it outside just fine."

"Ah, well..."

Her question was fair.

But I couldn't tell the truth.

Uh, how to put it.

My main account's already branded a fool in the gallery.

No one would believe a post from it.

The nickname screams newbie from the start.

Someone openly calling themselves a beginner.

Suddenly posting a 'gate guide'—who'd buy that?

"If it's something you can't say, it's fine. Just curious."

"Ehehe..."

As expected of Yuseol.

Quick on the uptake.

Sensing my slight distress, she withdrew immediately.

Only then did I relax and tap away on my phone.

Just copy-paste the guide content.

All I added were minor explanations.

"It's a shame, though. If we could photograph monsters or gate interiors and include them, it'd be more credible."

"Yeah, that's my one regret with this guide."

Same for me—the sole downside.

This phone works fine inside gates for everything.

Except video or photos.

Recording works.

But outside, they're all noise or blacked out—nothing visible.

Probably not the phone; something about the gate interior.

'Means the inside differs from the outside somehow.'

I'd inferred from electronics not working.

Looks like gates hold many secrets we don't know.

Someday, uncovering them might fix this too.

With that small hope, I finished the post.

"Phew, done..."

"Good work, Master. Have some chocolate milk to wet your throat."

"Ah, thanks, Yuseol."

Han Yuseol handed me a large PET bottle of chocolate milk she'd brought.

I slurped it down, moistening my dry throat.

"Wonder how people will react?"

"They'll go wild, for sure. It's revolutionary."

"Heh, hope so."

Just imagining it made me happy; my legs shook on their own.

Alright, time to head out.

I can check comments outside the gate.

"Shall I carry you today?"

"Nah, I'm not tired, and I can walk myself."

"...I see."

Hm?

She seems disappointed somehow.

Must be my imagination.

I declined her offer and hurried out of the gate.

The moment my foot stepped into the real world.

Ding- Ding-

Sudden barrage of notifications.

Startled, I pulled out my phone from my pocket.

[15 new comments.]

"...Huh?"

Whoa, what?

That many comments already?

Gasp, are they all thrilled?

Ehehehe.

Couldn't hold back the grin; I tapped the notification.

Wonder what reactions are there. So curious...

...Huh?

The reactions are kinda weird...