Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Jeongjin's Request
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"Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon, could you help me out a bit?"
"Yes?"
'Who the hell are you?'
Jeong-hyeon wondered for a moment if he'd misread something and checked his phone screen again.
It was still an unknown number.
An unknown number and an unfamiliar voice.
At Jeong-hyeon's bewildered response, the caller seemed to finally realize the situation and corrected himself.
*Ahem. Sorry about that. I got ahead of myself. This is Cha Jun-won from Jeongjin. I got your number from Park Soo-yeon.*
"Oh. Oh... oh?"
He'd kept a casual acquaintance with Park Soo-yeon since their trip to the Spirit Forest Gate, exchanging occasional greetings.
So he'd thought nothing of it at first, but hearing the caller's name was Cha Jun-won made Jeong-hyeon jump in surprise.
There was only one Cha Jun-won he knew of who could have ties to someone like Park Soo-yeon from Jeongjin Guild.
B-Rank Level 5, the promising star of the next generation of hunters: Cha Jun-won.
Why would someone like that suddenly call him?
"Uh, Hunter Cha Jun-won, why are you calling me...?"
It was a situation that naturally called for such a cautious question.
To make matters worse, he'd just seen bad news about Jeongjin on the earlier broadcast—talk about bad timing.
*Well... this isn't really a phone conversation. I'd like to meet in person if possible. Could you give me your address? I'll come to you.*
*Gasp!*
Jun-won's suggestion sent Jeong-hyeon's mind spinning.
Come to my place?
That Cha Jun-won?
Looking around, all he saw was his shabby, cluttered one-room apartment.
It was far too rundown to invite Cha Jun-won, who had a huge fan club—mostly female fans.
*Hell, I could end up facing a cyberbullying mob if I'm not careful.*
After quickly weighing his options, Jeong-hyeon made a counteroffer.
"Coming to my place would be awkward. How about I come to Jeongjin instead?"
*What? Sure, I'd be grateful if you did.*
The call ended.
Only after the call screen disappeared did Jeong-hyeon finally feel the daze sink in.
What kind of help could a hunter of Cha Jun-won's caliber possibly need from him?
*Maybe he wants to check out a one-room rental?*
He had no idea, but Jeong-hyeon started getting ready to head out.
***
But the actual request he heard upon arriving at Jeongjin Guild far exceeded his expectations in scale.
"You heard right."
Cha Jun-won in person was strikingly handsome and tall, instinctively giving off a vibe even stronger than Shin Jin-ah's had. But such impressions were fleeting.
"You're taking me into a Mission Gate?"
"To be precise, it's a cooperation request. We'll compensate you properly, of course."
"From Jeongjin...?"
Jeong-hyeon had already cleared a Level 5 Mission Gate at Sea Guild's invitation.
But that had felt like a trial run for recruiting him, akin to a promotional event tailored just for him by Molu Guild.
This request from Jun-won was on another level entirely.
Jeongjin Guild was formally asking Han Jeong-hyeon for help.
Thus, the terms were nothing like Sea Guild's.
Where Sea Guild had given him 30 million won as a life allowance, Jeongjin was offering 100 million won as formal compensation since it was an official request.
Artifacts would be distributed equally with guild members, not last dibs.
They guaranteed him a 1/n share, and if gear suited to him dropped, they’d buy it for half its appraised value.
It wasn't just generous—it was an offer worth bowing and scraping for.
"But why me, out of everyone, from a place like Jeongjin...?"
That's why Jeong-hyeon had to ask.
With terms like these, verified hunters would be lining up.
But Jun-won shook his head with a serious expression.
"Your value in this situation is higher than you might think, Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon."
After Jun-won's explanation, Jeong-hyeon had no choice but to agree.
Jeongjin's public image had taken a massive hit from the failed raid.
Yet they couldn't deploy their first-string due to Sure Victory Team's level-ups.
To recruit a proven hunter for a Level 5 Mission Gate, they'd have to beg another major guild—unthinkable for Jeongjin, no matter the bad luck.
It would be an irreversible humiliation.
So they needed a discreet, individual hunter who met the criteria—but such hunters were nonexistent.
"But I'm unverified too."
"I heard you went into a Level 5 Mission Gate with Sea Guild before."
*Does nothing stay secret in this world?*
Ye-rin worked for the Association, so fine, but a private citizen like Jun-won knowing was another story.
"Word from Jin-ah is you performed admirably. Given her personality, that means you weren't just 'active'—you shone."
Evidently, he had a personal friendship with Shin Jin-ah.
Jun-won continued.
"I heard the final wave boss was a Demi Drake. Honestly, soloing that qualifies you for active duty on any Level 5 gate."
*Looks can be deceiving—he's got a loose tongue.*
Jeong-hyeon inwardly clicked his tongue.
His looks screamed cool and aloof, yet the info had spread this far, suggesting he wasn't as tight-lipped as assumed.
Of course, contrary to Jeong-hyeon's thoughts, Jun-won had actively leveraged his own network.
"If there are any other conditions you'd like, we'll accommodate as best we can."
"No! More conditions? This is more than enough."
Jeong-hyeon waved it off at Jun-won's tentative probe.
Pushing further would make him look like a thug.
He'd received multiple favors from Jeongjin before, after all.
"Then, as a final request: please keep this raid confidential. We've arranged for Hunter Net to log it as a standard Level 5 gate. Is that okay?"
"Ah, sure. No problem."
Secrecy was easy.
He wasn't planning a press conference or posting a review on Hunter Net anyway.
Essentially, it was a face-saving measure for Jeongjin, and he was happy to oblige.
That's why the terms were so generous.
"Thank you. Please sign here."
With Jeong-hyeon's agreement secured, Jun-won beamed and slid over the contract.
It was lengthy but standard, with special clauses matching their discussion.
"Soo-yeon, assemble the raid team I listed earlier. Conference room now."
"Got it."
After signing, Jeong-hyeon asked.
"Oh, briefing right away?"
"Yes. The sooner we wrap this up, the better."
Jun-won smiled affirmatively.
He hadn't told Jeong-hyeon, but this raid held special meaning for him too.
Guild Master So Jeong-yun had handpicked him for it.
Plus an implicit directive to test Han Jeong-hyeon.
A chance to prove himself in HR and as a hunter.
*If I nail this raid and recruit him, it's game over.*
Jun-won's eyes sparkled at the thought.
He'd caught the guild master's interest despite being unregistered with scant data.
In her words, a man of 'pure romance.'
Fortunately, he was leading the recruitment race so far.
He'd built steady ties since Jeong-hyeon's early days.
Once Jeong-hyeon truly shone, his own position would solidify.
"Team leader, assembly complete."
"Thanks. Let's go, Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon."
Jun-won stood first and offered his hand. Jeong-hyeon stared at it briefly before grasping it and rising.
Jun-won's smile was soft, but his gaze deepened.
*The issue is, I can't read him at all.*
Unfathomable vessel, unfathomable intentions.
He might be a bigger deal than expected, but the raid would reveal it.
However,
"You're saying we break a Mission Gate with an unregistered hunter now?"
Convincing the other party members was a whole different battle.
"He's unregistered, but he's cleared a Level 5 Mission Gate before—"
"Who knows if that's inflated? Heard you got guild master praise in the last meeting—feeling bold?"
The team had looked sour from the moment they entered.
*This won't be easy.*
Even Jeong-hyeon, veteran of countless assholes, sensed trouble.
Sure enough, they erupted in fierce opposition the instant his participation was announced.
Jun-won saw him as solid backup, but to outsiders, it was absurd.
Even Sea Guild members had openly opposed at first.
They'd relented thanks to Park Soo-young's persuasion and Shin Jin-ah's will, but accepting this casually would be weirder.
"You're benching Kim Cho-hyeon for some unregistered hack?"
"Kim Cho-hyeon is C-Rank Level 4! He doesn't have the specs for a Level 5 Mission Gate."
"Yeah? Does the unregistered? And he's your parachute drop, team leader."
Plus, "King's Playground" was a 5-man limit.
To slot Jeong-hyeon, a raid team hunter was sidelined—fueling the backlash.
"Parachute? That's a bit..."
Jun-won faltered, at a loss, glaring at the ceiling before sighing.
"Let's cool off for a bit."
"Cool off? We're not going in with an unregistered. Get that straight."
The first meeting derailed immediately.
The raid team stormed out in fury.
Jun-won approached Jeong-hyeon apologetically.
"Sorry about this. I expected pushback, but not this bad."
"It's fine. Not my first rodeo. Looks like they resent you stepping in as leader."
"Uh... yeah."
Jun-won eyed him surprised.
Jeong-hyeon lacked guild experience and tenure, so he'd assumed naivety to internal politics.
Yet he grasped the dynamics.
"Since I'm unregistered, they're justified, right?"
"Yeah... especially as an outsider."
"Can I see their info?"
"Oh, here."
At the abrupt request, Jun-won rummaged and handed over a page.
- Cha Jun-won, 「Essential Mana Sensitivity」(B, Lv.5)
- Jeong Sun-il, 「Valiant Toughness」(B, Lv.4)
- Choi Ga-yoon, 「Powerful Strength Enhancement」(B, Lv.4)
- Park Ji-woon, 「Healing that Revives Fading Breath」(B, Lv.4)
"Minus you, all B-Rank Level 4?"
"Yes. As I explained, most raid teams leveled to 6."
Jeong-hyeon's eyes narrowed.
Even for Jeongjin, was this the caliber for a Mission Gate?
*Well, gates aren't just here.*
Adequate, but hardly warranting this arrogance.
Low levels weren't their fault—hard-earned through life-or-death.
From the guild's view, though...
*If you can't clear assigned gates, own the shame.*
They lacked raiders, hence HR leader and an outsider.
Rebelling this hard was unbecoming.
Of course, Jeong-hyeon didn't know Jun-won had tried pulling more from other depts, shot down by raid team veto.
After skimming traits and careers, he returned the sheet.
"So, if I prove I belong, we're good?"
"Yes?"
Jun-won blinked at the unexpected question.
But Jeong-hyeon stood abruptly, grinning.
"Where's the guild measurement room?"
"Uh... behind the main building."
Jeong-hyeon nodded and exited.
They couldn't trust an unregistered for a gate? Fair.
Erase the doubt.
*Though guys like that won't buy it anyway.*
A bit petty, but 100 million and artifact shares were on the line.
Jeong-hyeon, scarred by poverty, held firm convictions on money.
*Gotta earn your keep.*
With skill, he'd never just freeload—he'd carry.