Chapter 10
Chapter 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Something Feels Off
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 10
"But no matter how much I think about it, something still feels off."
A few days after deciding to enter the gate.
Jeong-hyeon tilted his head as he headed to the meeting spot.
He'd checked the post over and over, but nothing seemed wrong.
And yet, the fact that nothing was wrong made it feel even stranger.
"Who runs a business this stupidly generous?"
It went against business ethics—way against them.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't something Jeong-hyeon, the consumer, needed to worry about, but as the saying went, when the contract terms seemed too good to be true, you had to think twice. Actually, three times.
Two D-rank hunters recruiting two people regardless of rank or experience for a level 2 or below gate,
with no disadvantageous split?
If it was a guild request, they could've handled it with guild members alone.
"It reeks, I tell you."
Jeong-hyeon closed his eyes and sniffed dramatically, like a seasoned detective in a drama.
And there really was a smell.
He followed his nose and opened his eyes.
There was his travel carry-on, being dragged along by his right hand.
A strong monster stench wafted from it.
"Ugh, having sharper senses sucks for stuff like this."
It was a hunter gear case he'd bought on Jin-ah's advice after their last hunt together.
Hunter gear had its own smell, so it had a sealing function, but only up to a point.
'Well, maybe it's my fault for smelling it in the first place?'
The seal was only good enough to block it from normal people.
Especially since his new E-rank trait performed too well.
Adaptation in tests and real life were different beasts.
His suddenly heightened senses were one thing, but even small movements like gripping or jumping caused all sorts of issues.
Like when grabbing an egg or absentmindedly jogging.
He thought he'd gripped it normally, but the egg crumbled like tofu, or he'd nearly crashed into the person ahead.
During the days waiting to enter the gate, what Jeong-hyeon had focused on most was adapting to his new ability.
'It's better now, though.'
Jeong-hyeon clenched and unclenched his left hand.
He was getting used to it, but he wondered if it'd hold up in real combat.
Even with the suspicious smell, he couldn't pass up this safe hunting party.
"But still, something's off, right?"
Jeong-hyeon couldn't shake the doubt.
Like how telling someone not to think of an elephant makes them think of it more, the more you tried not to notice, the more you did.
And in that moment, as he stepped forward with unconscious force in his foot—
Crack.
The sidewalk paver cracked wide open.
"Oh no, what now."
Jeong-hyeon quickly bent down to inspect the broken paver.
But that wouldn't magically fix it.
He straightened up and glanced around.
"Hmm, ahem."
Seeing no one nearby, he cleared his throat awkwardly and kept walking.
He made sure to step lightly.
"Jeez, why's this gate tucked away in some remote mountain? Since when was there a place like this in Seoul?"
Jeong-hyeon unnecessarily scanned the surroundings and swung his arms.
He was following the address the poster had sent, but the mountain path was deserted and growing eerier.
'Even this feels suspicious...'
Once suspicion started, everything looked suspect.
But the gate's location was no real issue.
Gates appeared regardless of city or wilderness.
The sense that more popped up downtown was just perception.
Occasionally, overlooked gates in mountains would break after festering too long, so the association patrolled nationwide regularly.
Plus, if a gate had heavy foot traffic, that'd be the weird part.
Even in remote spots, association staff managed them.
Jeong-hyeon chided himself for overthinking.
Just then, the meeting spot came into view.
"Hello."
A prefabricated association office building and three people standing in front.
The man and woman pair chatted closely, while the other woman stood a few steps away alone.
As Jeong-hyeon greeted and approached, the man beamed back.
"Ah, hello. Han Jeong-hyeon, right?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Seo Han-seok, the one organizing today's run."
"I'm Park Ga-ryeong."
The woman who'd been with the man followed up.
Then the hesitant lone woman approached.
"Hello. I'm Nam Ji-yoon."
"Han Jeong-hyeon."
She must be the other recruit for the party.
The man who'd introduced himself as Han-seok elaborated on Ji-yoon.
"Ji-yoon here's a healer, apparently. Wasn't picky about traits, but this is lucky, huh?"
"Mine... it's just E-rank level 1 healing."
"Psh, E-rank healer's still a huge relief. Even goblins can mess you up bad if you're unlucky."
"Of course, with us around, that won't happen."
Han-seok and Ga-ryeong took turns praising Ji-yoon, and it felt natural.
A healer in the party was always a plus anyway.
Jeong-hyeon chimed in appropriately while sizing them up.
'They do this a lot?'
Hunter videos on MyTV were full of higher ranks looking down on others.
That was why Jeong-hyeon hadn't registered his traits on his license.
People assumed unregistered meant F-rank ninety-nine times out of a hundred, but broadcasting it versus hiding made a difference.
At least Han-seok and Ga-ryeong didn't seem like that type.
'No wonder they put together parties like this.'
As Jeong-hyeon thought that, Han-seok asked,
"So, what're your traits, Jeong-hyeon? Didn't register 'em, huh."
"Uh... agility type."
Jeong-hyeon skipped the rank.
But Han-seok nodded understandingly.
"Figures, you look nimble. Looking forward to working with you."
"No, same here."
No disappointment—he just said something nice right away.
Definitely experienced.
With everyone assembled, Han-seok stepped back where all could see.
"Alright, time to head in. Nothing major, but here's the briefing."
He launched into the standard pre-gate rundown.
The place was "Atarok Goblin Village."
Tribe name or not, just regular goblins.
Goblin variants varied wildly in difficulty based on descriptors.
No worries here.
"Plus, we won't go into the village. Just handle patrolling scouts nearby."
He continued.
Han-seok had D-rank axe skill, Ga-ryeong D-rank magic.
So formation: Han-seok front, Jeong-hyeon behind, then Ga-ryeong and Ji-yoon last.
Nothing unusual, so nods all around.
As Han-seok said, "'Kay, let's go," and turned toward the office, he paused like he'd forgotten something and added to Jeong-hyeon and Ji-yoon,
"One thing—watch out for goblin poison needles."
"Ah, yes!"
Ji-yoon replied loudly, maybe nervous.
Han-seok chuckled at her, then added,
"Goblin poison needles hurt like hell if they hit."
'What?'
Jeong-hyeon sensed something off in Han-seok's demeanor.
Like the man had switched personalities for a split second.
But it passed instantly, and Han-seok was back to normal as he walked, so Jeong-hyeon just tilted his head and followed.
'Well, gotta watch for poison needles.'
Everyone knew their fame.
Without resistance, paralysis; if frail, knockout.
But weak enough most basic armor blocked them.
Caution advised, but easy to slack on.
Probably mentioning it for newbie hunters.
***
The Hunter Association spanned 30,000 pyeong.
Its vast grounds matched the grand main building, but key departments were underground.
To preserve response capabilities against terror or worst-case breaks.
Investigation Division 3, handling villain—criminal hunter—cases inside gates, lurked in the sunless depths.
And in that office,
"Hmm..."
A woman dozed.
Short bob not reaching her shoulders, no makeup, yet pale skin striking.
Eyes closed, drool pooling at her lips—sloppy, but she was Division Chief Cha Ye-rin.
Someone urgently called her.
"Chief!"
"Huh? What? What's up?"
Ye-rin jolted awake.
It was Investigation Team Leader Kim Seok-woong who'd woken her.
"We got 'em!"
"What nonsense. Got who?"
"Mask! Control center called—they've pinned the location!"
"What?"
Ye-rin shot up from her seat, boredom gone.
Mask.
A duo targeting green, inexperienced hunters in gates, staging accidents to kill.
One had magic traits to change faces—annoyingly hard to track.
Their guess: endgame level 2, preying on newbies.
Exploiting how low-level responses varied wildly by skill.
"They went quiet for a bit, but there was a suspicious incident in Seoul recently—staff flagged it postmortem. Hyeon-cheol checked control center logs, matches. But..."
Seok-woong trailed off mid-excitement.
Ye-rin pressed.
"Spit it out! Where?"
"Well... they're already inside. Atarok Goblin Village."
"What? Those bastards..."
Ye-rin pinched her brow and looked away.
Seok-yong's empty desk opposite.
Normally, Response Team Leader Jo Seok-hyeon would deploy, but he was out of town on another case.
That explained Seok-woong's hesitation.
But with likely crime in progress, no time to waste.
Ye-rin barked without hesitation.
"What're you waiting for? I'll report to the Director and follow—get the remaining response team out now!"
"Huh?"
"You're B-rank for a reason—do something! You deaf? Move!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
At her icy command, Seok-woong bolted from the office.
Ye-rin sighed deeply.
Mask duo pegged D-rank.
Seok-woong was desk-bound now but a seasoned B-rank who'd handled response duties.
More than enough.
Even if Jo Seok-hyeon were here, he couldn't enter a level 2 gate.
The issue was whether the hunters they'd entered with survived capture.
They wouldn't party with real hunters otherwise.
'No time for this.'
Ye-rin straightened her clothes roughly and dashed out.
Mask duo had been Investigation Division 3's long-term targets.
The whole bureau watched the case.
For clean closure, she had to move fast.
No room for complacency with hunters.
That'd been Division 3's motto since A-rank trait holder Cha Ye-rin took over.
Her steps quickened through the pristine underground halls.