Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: All Sorts of Guilds
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"There are all sorts of guys here."
Not all the guilds that left inquiries on the HJH Gate Office bulletin board were purely asking for requests, of course.
Some probed with offers on compensation or specific conditions without naming a gate,
- Congratulations on Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon's new business venture. We wish you great success. The reason we're reaching out in this manner is none other than our desire to recruit you into our Chu-yeol Guild...
Some didn't even make a request—they straight-up offered recruitment.
"If you want my business to prosper, joining your guild is the last thing I'd do. No brains?"
Jeong-hyeon clicked his tongue and scrolled down.
He'd make sure to remember these guilds and refuse their requests later, no matter what.
Mission Gates that weren't cleared in time quickly entered the break stage anyway.
If reported to the Association in advance, they'd dispatch S-Rank Hunters, but what if they delayed reporting until a break was imminent or didn't report at all?
Everyone involved went to prison, and the guild dissolved.
Beyond that punishment, the massive damage from a break was irreversible.
Of course, it might sound like no guild would skip reporting, but such cases did happen.
'Reporting early costs a fortune in compensation, and rumors spread. Plus, restrictions on Mission Gate allocations mean failure is inevitable anyway.'
The Association didn't charge, but S-Ranks summoned had to be paid handsomely out of pocket.
And rumors of failing a Mission Gate tanked a guild's reputation.
Even if cleared with Association help, they'd face Mission Gate acquisition limits until proving full strength recovery.
So sometimes, when desperate, guild masters abandoned ship and fled abroad.
Without a responsible party, those gates broke inevitably.
Jeong-hyeon's business snag was intercepting such gates before the Association.
As he noted names of guilds sending nonsense and scrolled, his hand paused.
"Huh?"
- From Vice Guild.
Finally, a guild caught his eye.
"Vice Guild left an inquiry?"
Vice Guild.
Strictly speaking, if Sea Guild and Jeongjin Guild were tier 1, Vice Guild sat just below tier 2.
Solid finances and decent skills, but that was it.
Not huge in size, not very active publicly.
Yet among those in the hunter industry, it punched above its weight in recognition.
"They focus more on crafting than guild activities."
As the name suggested, Vice Guild was deeply tied to crafting.
It started as Vice Workshop, expanding into a guild for self-sourcing materials.
Such guilds were called "crafting guilds" or "craft guilds" for short.
Hunter guilds uninterested in mines might enter ore-rich gates to mine for gear-making—these were craft guilds too.
Unlike typical guilds, they ran closed operations, another trait.
Vice Guild was among the oldest and largest craft guilds.
"And they left an inquiry?"
Jeong-hyeon's surprise made sense.
He'd never heard of Vice Guild pursuing Mission Gates for artifacts over materials, let alone outsourcing to outsiders.
They'd even attached a project file, unlike simple inquiries from others.
'Let's take a look anyway.'
Whatever the story, a proposal deserved a glance.
- Collaboration Proposal
· History of Vice Guild
· Vice Guild Activity Status
· Collaboration Inquiry Overview with HJH Gate Office
· Compensation Offered
"Wow... no need to go this far."
This was more like an executive report than an inquiry.
Jeong-hyeon wanted simple forms filled out, not this level of effort.
"Well, that's why it caught my eye."
To stand out, you had to exceed ordinary.
He slowly flipped slides, skimming.
History and status he knew roughly, so quick glances.
Then he reached the gate name Vice Guild requested, explaining their uncharacteristic Mission Gate grab.
"'Merrillium Mine's Jewel'?"
Level 5 Mission Gate, 'Merrillium Mine's Jewel'.
The name alone appealed to a crafting guild.
Merrillium was a premium ore mainly from level 6 mine gates.
Flexible, tough, lightweight—ideal for pricey light armor.
'Jewel' suggested top-tier rewards beyond mere ore.
"Still, biting off something like this is risky."
Merrillium from level 6 mines in a level 5? Vice Guild likely jumped at it.
A crafting guild clearing a Mission Gate solo? Tempting title.
But pitfalls abounded.
'Level 6 ore in level 5? Error sign.'
Sounds good, but screams unreasonable difficulty for level 5.
Maybe worse than 'King's Playground'.
'And mine gates as Mission types? Never heard.'
Most guilds documented cleared Mission Gates online, advertised heavily—rare ones weren't common.
Logically, rarity meant matching difficulty.
Jeong-hyeon got why Vice Guild took it, but a crafting guild without Mission Gate know-how shouldn't.
"Next, gate info?"
No internal details, only post-clear.
Just that two guild teams entered and didn't return, break imminent.
"Definitely tricky..."
Jeong-hyeon nodded as he read.
Like others, but Vice Guild's acquisition reasons made failure costlier.
Reporting meant losing Merrillium and likely the jewel to the state.
Hence deeper desperation.
Thus the thorough inquiry.
Confirmed in compensation.
"Artifact guaranteed to requester? Insane..."
Beyond generous—suspicious.
Crafting guild valuing contents over artifact? Throwing away a Mission Gate's prize flower?
'No plans to snatch it post-clear, right?'
Conditions bred doubt.
Gold compensation low versus others—prior failures strained finances.
Post-clear, if artifact was the 'jewel', 50% share in cash.
Plus one equipment from Vice Guild warehouse for clearing.
Negotiable details, but Jeong-hyeon was satisfied.
"Got to take this."
Decision made, he called Min-ji.
- Yes, Boss. Saw the file I sent?
"All done. Forward lists of recruitment pushers and nonsense guilds separately."
- Ah... Yes. Sorry.
No need to apologize.
Min-ji, thrilled by unexpected response, overdid it.
Jeong-hyeon brushed it off, to business.
"First request: Vice Guild. Contact them, schedule meeting ASAP with contact."
- Yes!
Voice tense with real job excitement now.
***
So why did Vice Guild pour such effort into unproven HJH Gate Office?
Jeong-hyeon couldn't fathom their 'Merrillium Mine's Jewel' grab, but guild internals heavily influenced it.
Vice Guild was crafting-focused.
Master Shim Young-jun, guild master, ran predecessor Vice Workshop.
Vice Guild Leader Shim Jong-su, his son, also artisan.
Leadership skewed crafting.
Enter Vice Guild Leader Park Geun-hwa, handling raids/hunts.
Three months ago, broker tipped 'Merrillium Mine's Jewel'.
Staff voiced Jeong-hyeon-like concerns.
"Vice Guild Leader, it's relevant, but the price tag's huge. And rare precedents make prediction hard."
"Level 5 at worst. We can handle in-house."
"But..."
"Report first, maximally positive. I'll convince execs. Clearing this boosts our division, right?"
Thus, Geun-hwa's ambition amid power dynamics secured ownership via aggressive buy-in.
Execs/artisans urged caution, but "time to be real guild" swayed.
Result: two solo fails, two with external consulting/support fails.
Big investment demanded clear for recovery, but deeper quagmire.
Day before yesterday, guild master snapped unprecedentedly: handle it.
Then last night, call from Sea Guild sales lead Jeong Suyeong.
Geun-hwa still agonizing in office late.
No solutions, but home wouldn't relax him.
"Hey, Jeong Team Lead. Long time."
- Vice Guild Leader. Heard you're in a bind.
Call simple.
Amazing new hunter opened office—try before Association.
Intrigued by trusted Suyeong's rec, but "unregistered Han Jeong-hyeon"? Irritation surged.
"What, kidding? Failed twice with pro consulting—now unregistered?"
Hunting's side gig in crafting guild, yet treated equally—now patronized as has-been?
But Suyeong calmly continued despite ire.
- Hear me out.
"Need solid reason."
Post-story, Geun-hwa sighed blankly.
"Hoo..."