Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Kang Jik Guild (2)
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【HyeJi__02: Oppa, I've finished my contract with Semi Guild. Semi unnie might reach out to you soon.】
Im Hyeji's DM arrived, and I was able to catch Lee Soo-ah's article through the Hunter Gallery as well.
Title: Lee Soo-ah is retiring?
Singer and actress career on hold. She's planning to focus on being a hunter from now on. Asking fans not to drag civilians into the rumors.
Looks like they're really dating ;;
This just makes the fans look like idiots.
What's wrong with fans being idiots lol? She's just pausing activities to live a normal life.
At 28, she's accomplished plenty already. Makes sense.
With Lee Soo-ah's decisive nature, this didn't even surprise me anymore.
In truth, once she'd set her sights on becoming a hunter, it would've been tough to juggle it with her entertainment career like she had been.
Just one drama or movie shoot could tie her up for months on set—when would she find time to hit dungeons and build her skills?
If it hadn't been an empty boast, she would've had to make a choice eventually.
I just hadn't expected it to be this swift and resolute.
"Ah, guess I need to get moving too."
There wasn't anything special I had to do.
Just create the guild, take in those two unaffiliated double SSS-rank hunters with proper treatment, and act as the middleman so they could tag along on other guilds' dungeon runs.
That was my job from here on out.
And to do that, I needed to establish the guild.
Creating a guild wasn't hard.
Just a hassle.
"Please fill out and submit the guild creation application."
I whipped through the simple form and handed it over, and the paperwork was done in no time.
"Your guild has been established. I've granted you permissions to register and manage members via the Hunter Association app."
"Thanks."
I received a few sheets explaining guild-related matters.
From member registration to settlements, dungeon raid applications, and more.
It was impressive how the Hunter Association app handled everything remotely—no need to visit or call the association.
"Now I just need to add names, right?"
Since all hunters are registered with the Hunter Association, inviting unaffiliated ones sends them a confirmation message.
If they accept, their name goes on the guild roster. Submit the contract details, and the Association prevents unilateral kicks or quits from either side.
With the guild freshly made, I sent invites to Lee Soo-ah and Im Hyeji right away.
'Im Hyeji' has joined the 'Kang Jik' Guild.
Im Hyeji accepted in minutes.
She was the one who'd taken my Ada from me, so she became the first member of my inaugural guild.
Soon after, Lee Soo-ah accepted too.
"Whoa..."
Even for a bare-bones newborn guild's management screen, it was a sight that drew involuntary admiration.
Maybe I shouldn't bother with anyone below SSS-rank.
The app marked regular SSS-ranks plainly, but displayed double SSS like this—made them feel even more elite.
I used my guild master's group message privilege to send a note to the registered hunters.
Kang Jik (Guild Master): Let's have a team dinner. At my place.
The only change was being officially tied to the Hunter Association system, but a strange sense of camaraderie and belonging hit me hard. I decided to treat everyone to a blowout.
@
"Whoa, chicken."
"Why hold the team dinner here though..."
"You go in. You're not Kang Jik Guild yet."
"..."
"Come on, don't be like that, Kang Jik. Hana, come sit with us."
"Unnie, speak comfortably."
"Should I? We'll be seeing a lot of each other."
Mom and Dad weren't home.
With the four of us crammed in the living room, it felt lively and bustling.
We ordered a feast—chicken, pizza, all sorts—and mixed beer with soju. It was a bit awkward, but had that genuine team dinner vibe.
"To Kang Jik!!"
"...Isn't that a bit too self-centered for a guild master?"
"No, the guild's named Kang Jik. To Kang Jik Guild!!"
We clinked glasses and hyped each other up, but Kang Hana kept nitpicking.
"Hey, if you're gonna complain, join first then talk."
"What?! I haven't finished contract talks yet."
"Huh? Hana, you're joining too?"
"Yeah, Hyeji. Probably... since this jerk oppa won't give me any more... nutrient fluids if I don't."
The three women traded knowing glances they couldn't openly acknowledge.
Still, they bonded over chit-chat.
"But seriously, why name the guild something so tacky?"
Lee Soo-ah and Im Hyeji giggled in agreement without chiming in, so I unleashed my finisher on Kang Hana.
"You just called the name my dead mom gave me tacky, huh? She's not your real mom, right?"
"..."
"Pfft."
"Cough cough."
Kang Hana spat out her beer and dropped to her knees.
"You bastard..."
Im Hyeji jumped in to smooth things over.
"Y-Yeah, Hana. I actually like the name."
Lee Soo-ah piled on quick.
"Right? I like it too. The name's so upright and strong. Your mom named you perfectly. Your son's grown up so... impressively sturdy..."
Why were their eyes drifting to my pants?
The Kang Jik Guild's first team dinner went off without a hitch.
We got familiar with each other's faces and grew closer.
Especially since we weren't some powerhouse like Semi Guild—this was a fresh startup run by a total guild management newbie.
I needed to lay out future plans.
"First, we raise the guild rank. We'll start with low dungeons we can clear ourselves, pass the promotion exams step by step."
What good is a higher guild rank?
It gets you on the Association's rankings for promo, at least.
Not that I cared—my real aim was corralling my pregnant "collection" of women in one spot to admire like trophies.
Rankings didn't matter.
I'd already set the guild info to private so other hunters couldn't peek.
Higher ranks do bring tax perks, though.
Mana stones, byproducts, gear from dungeons—all incur fees and processing cuts to the Association.
Higher ranks mean breaks on those, so big guilds grind for promotions and top-dungeon slots to offset it.
As revenue hits billions, even 0.1% or 1% savings are massive.
"Dungeon runs will be as an Association-registered guild, taking outsourced dispatch gigs. I'm no good at managing, and it's a pain anyway."
Obviously, I had zero illusions about running it like Han Semi.
I had no talent for it.
I'd dragged my feet on setup till Im Hyeji and Lee Soo-ah prepped everything, barely squeezing in the paperwork.
Managing hordes of hunters, plus raid prep—personnel, post-run cleanup—ain't simple.
No need for the master to do it all, but gotta know enough to keep it spinning.
Two paths: outsource everything, or register as Association mercs with just a guild name.
Small guilds do this plenty.
Like partying with like-minded folks for dungeons, but supplementing big/mid guilds' shortages for a cut.
Association brokers it, takes a fee.
"So everyone hustle as mercs and rake in the cash."
"Yes sir!"
"I just wanna run dungeons with you, Kang Jik."
"If that's what you want, fine by me."
"Lucky househusband."
Kang Hana nailed my ideal structure.
"Yeah, exactly. Househusband."
The women with killer skills hit dungeons, bring back loot. I stay home, raise the kids(?) to boost their skills.
Once they hit level 5 and become mine fully, we raid as a guild for pure profits.
Not saying slave away for me consciencelessly.
I know the world.
Im Hyeji, Lee Soo-ah, Kang Hana—the pregnancies were mutual satisfaction deals, surface aside.
No passion without pay.
Give and take is my creed.
"Hardworking wives get better skills, stronger abilities, and more semen."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Said at a bar outside, it'd kill the mood.
Women'd whisper, eyeing me like a freak.
But this was the special Kang Jik Guild table.
Kang Hana wasn't official yet, but...
They were family in heart already.
They got my pledge's meaning—and with rivals in play, it wouldn't sound lame.
"Oh, and for motivation: level 10 brings second awakening. Two-plus fitting skills unlocks skill synthesis growth."
Perfect hype—the party's energy ignited.