Chapter 22
After blurting it out, my fingers and toes curled up in embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Gija-ryeong looked lost in thought.
Seizing the moment, I shot to my feet. Let's just slip out quietly like nothing happened...
But my steps suddenly halted.
“Reporter.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I read the article. You really do write well, just like they say.”
At the praise, Gija-ryeong preened, looking pleased.
“It's all thanks to your standout performance, Wonseok. I'm just the one swinging the pen. Oh, right—I almost forgot. Takeout, yeah? Let's go together. I need to grab a couple more anyway.”
“Can I go all out?”
Gija-ryeong shrugged cockily.
“What's a cafe meeting gonna cost? HTN might not be a major broadcast like KBC, but we've got enough to buy coffee for a tipster.”
“Nice company.”
I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Gija-ryeong at the counter.
“This one, that one... oh, that too. That looks tasty. And one of each color.”
“......”
Gija-ryeong thought to herself: In all my life, I've never gotten a receipt this long at a cafe.
“Looking forward to working with you more, Reporter.”
She was breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Did you order hanwoo at the cafe or what? Ah, no, Senior... You know the company's tight on cash. I know, I know! But this is a huge scoop, I swear! This much is... okay, maybe not, but anyway, once I wrap this up, it'll get me into guild coverage. Yes? What?! You're cutting my travel stipend!? No, come on...!!”
Ever since regressing, two addresses had naturally faded from my mind.
One was my real studio apartment.
In my past life, I'd moved to Sindorim right after my brother's death. For running Abyss Gates as a porter, Seoul's outskirts beat anywhere else.
Yesterday, when I asked hyung for my address, it was embarrassing.
I'd brushed it off as anemia aftereffects, and he'd let it slide. His worry for me outweighed any suspicion.
Anyway, the second address that had diluted in my brain.
That was the office I worked at right now.
“While I'm drawing a KBC salary, no less.”
In the manager's office with its floor-to-ceiling windows.
My boss, the room's owner, had deliberately left the blinds up. He wanted everyone on the floor to see him humiliate me.
“You're the first employee under me to no-show for four straight days, Wonseok.”
The manager kept trimming his nails as he spoke. With a safe boasting three keyholes at his back, he continued.
“What, did that parachute you rode in on make an emergency landing when you joined KBC?”
“......”
The bastard had zero talent but a knack for getting under your skin.
A real pro at it.
He used that skill to eliminate rivals.
His ass-kissing of superiors matched his put-downs of underlings perfectly. Credit where due—he'd clawed his way to manager with that sleazy survival instinct alone.
That made him beholden to the KBC president's direct line.
Further, he'd risen to real power, managing the top boss's personal ledgers.
“Speak up, kid. I just can't wrap my head around it otherwise.”
I felt his muttering at the back of my head.
With his manicured nails, the manager tapped the paper bag on his desk.
“No-show for three days and think you can make it vanish with some cheap donuts and coffee? I know you're just a high-school grad with crap social skills, Wonseok, but this is too much.”
I stood with hands clasped behind my back, just listening.
No time to take it to heart.
“If you got nothing else going for you, at least be reliable.”
That was the plan.
But then:
“High-school grad, orphan, torturer. High-school triple crown.”
That crossed the line.
Big time.
“Manager.”
“Oh! Finally opening your mouth! I was shocked—donut holes are open, but our Wonseok's mouth was sealed shut!”
“I quit.”
“Yeah, you gotta bury your bones where a high-school grad with nowhere to go took you in... what...?”
“I'm out.”
“Hey! Seo Wonseok!”
“Just call me Ko Wonseok like always. No need for my real name now that I'm leaving.”
“Seo Wonseok.”
The manager yanked down the blinds behind me with a huff. He loomed over me, snorting.
“Don't know what wind blew up your ass, but did some guild scout a high-school grad like you?”
His jiggling gut seemed alive with fury.
“You know ex-boss references matter everywhere? I make one call, and you're done—blacklisted everywhere.”
“Thanks for the career advice. Usually you're busting a gut to block my future.”
“You little shit!!”
Whoa, I'd bottled up a lot.
Felt like a hole punched through my chest.
I nodded toward the paper bag on the desk.
“Have a donut. Your mouth's gonna taste bitter from now on.”
“Y-you, you...!”
“Take care. Send my severance on time. Unless you want extra charges.”
“What bullshit is this!”
I saw no value in hearing more and strode out of the manager's office.
Business done.
A piercing yell shattered against the glass walls behind me.
I ignored it and kept walking.
Unemployment came with its own to-do list.
“Manager, what happened?!”
The manager's nostrils flared, rage unspent.
The deputy wiped donut crumbs from his mouth, gauging the mood.
“Kim, contact every broadcaster now. Make sure Ko Wonseok—Seo Wonseok—gets burned out of this industry!”
“On what grounds...”
“Figure it out! Squeeze it like ratings!”
“......Yes, sir.”
“Out!”
The manager clutched his heaving chest.
“That punk thinks he's safe somewhere.”
He himself was climbing the ranks at KBC.
That safe proved it.
The manager smirked bitterly, caressing the safe.
“Hm?”
What?
Why's there a gap?
Creeeak.
A slight nudge, and the safe swung open with an eerie groan?
“Huh?”
The safe's interior was empty.
The 'ledger' that should be there—gone.
“Gone... gone...”
The manager clawed desperately at the bare bottom.
As if that would make the vanished ledger pop back.
“Kim!”
“Yes, Manager!”
The deputy burst in, panting.
“D-did anyone come into my office while I was out???”
“You didn't even step out for a smoke today, sir.”
“No! Then how! This safe needs three keys!”
“What item is it, sir? I'll ask around the floor.”
“That's...!”
He couldn't spit it out.
How to admit it was KBC-North Ocean transaction records?
The president had handed it down personally for safekeeping.
Couldn't broadcast that it vanished into thin air.
Ring ring ring.
Then the intercom buzzed.
From the president's office.
“Ah... ah... ah...”
“Manager?”
“Aaaah!!”
Of all days.
After escaping the company, I walked a ways before ducking into a quiet alley.
Glancing around several times, I formed Hemo into a round shape on my palm.
“Spit it out.”
The red slime regurgitated a worn notebook.
The ledger.
I skimmed it quickly.
“Wow...”
He'd scarfed down a ton.
The president's desperation to squeeze every drop was clear.
Taking time to review this...
Unemployed guys have time to burn.
I fed the ledger back to Hemo.
The squishy blob shivered happily. Cute. Felt like it had a soul.
“Good job.”
It loved the pat.
Who knew hardening could work like this.
Coat Hemo on a thread, sneak to the safe. Slip into the three keyholes.
Activate hardening—Hemo shapes into keys.
Easy after that. Click, unlocked. Hemo snakes through the gap, swallows the ledger. Done.
“Whew.”
I stepped back onto the street and gazed at the building where I'd wasted my youth. One of those boastful lights was the manager's room.
“Learned a lot, took a lot.”
I turned from KBC with a gust, like a whirlwind.
Next stop on this path.
Seongsu Hunter Store.
Time to pick up my held items.
“Ah.”
While walking, I texted hyung.
This guy, seriously.
I pocketed my phone and quickened my step. My feet felt light. Even though I was heading the same way as in my past life.
“Must be 'cause my situation's different from when I slunk out like a coward.”
With that, I left the city's lights behind and headed to Seongsu Station.
Had to wrap up by evening.
Such trivial thoughts.
Meanwhile, at Gwanghwamun.
R&Y Guild headquarters.
“Oh, Hunter Jeong!”
“At ease, at ease.”
The receptionists at the gleaming entrance snapped to attention for Jeong Hamin.
“The director's inside, right?”
“He's expecting you.”
Knock knock.
“Coming in.”
Jeong Hamin flung the door open before permission came.
“If you're knocking to enter, don't bother knocking, Hamin.”
“C'mon, it's still R&Y.”
Jeong Hamin flopped onto the sofa. A secretary brought fancy teacups. The director took the head seat.
“Expensive stuff. Drink up.”
“If we're sipping tea cozy-like, why not call me to a cafe?”
“Too many eyes there.”
Jeong Hamin swung his crossed leg playfully.
“So, what's up, Director? I'm swamped with loose ends lately.”
“Watch the attitude, punk.”
The director blew on his tea.
“Sorry about the COEX Gate mess. Sent you to cool off. Chairman's giving separate consolation—high-grade mana stones. Convert to Credits or whatever.”
“Head must ache over that Seo Hunter slip-up, yet you're fussing over a grunt like me.”
“......Mind your mouth around the Chairman.”
“Quit circling. Spit it out.”
The director set down his cup.
Half gone already.
“Rumor has it the COEX clear wasn't that Seo Hunter I know. Connected to the guy you've been tailing?”
Jeong Hamin blinked innocently.
“Oh?”
Then he chuckled.
“You mean Seo Hunter?”
“Seo Hunter?”
“Not the one you know.”
“Rare name, huh. Anyway, if you say that, then yeah—connected.”
“Who knows.”
Jeong Hamin's lips curled slyly.
“I'd love to spill. But... man, my mouth's itching.”
By sheer coincidence, Jeong Hamin there had become a pact subject.
Even without it, he'd never spill easily.
“Unless there's something in it for me.”
“If it's solid, more than consolation.”
The director ignored the rudeness.
In the hunter world, personality was optional.
Only ability mattered.
And the treatment to match.
“Chairman’s call?”
If you could only keep top hunters under you.
“Or your personal ambition, Director?”
Swallowing Korea's top guild whole wouldn't be a pipe dream.
“......”
The director's lip twitched.