Chapter 31
Some hunters enjoyed popularity rivaling that of celebrities.
Unlike with regular hunters, the public rarely glimpsed their ugly underbellies.
To civilians, high-rank hunters were the guardians of the system, heroes of reversal.
…Han Biyeol's the same.
Han Biyeol had quite a few fans. Why did they like that slick, curly-haired prick so much?
I couldn't understand it, but I entered the Kakao chat room anyway.
Ignoring the greeting bot, I scanned the member list.
Where's this bastard?
Right at the top.
Wearing a pink crown. Vice admin in his own fan room. Not embarrassed?
I initiated a one-on-one chat with Han Biyeol.
The number at the end of the sentence vanished in an instant.
The moment he checked it, he left the chat room.
The Chaos Gate I'd tipped him off about was right next to the one I planned to clear tomorrow.
Once he showed up, I'd make a quick appearance and slip away with the Surprise Texture Mask.
Send him one every day like this.
If I fed him the adjacent gate daily, he'd come even knowing he was being played.
I had no idea why he was so desperate to see me, but Han Biyeol wanted to meet.
"I'm not meeting you, you bastard."
Since I, the new guy, was clearly the culprit, he bailed from the open chat too. I'd be dropping in often, so I bookmarked it.
The bait has to work.
It would. Probably.
My prediction hit the mark the very next day.
Han Biyeol arrived at the Association with bloodshot eyes and plunged into the gate I'd told him about.
I spent about five minutes in the adjacent gate before emerging. For a 10th-floor Chaos Gate, that should be plenty for Han Biyeol.
Subordinate Han Biyeol donates a portion of acquired EXP.
A moment later.
Han Biyeol kicked open the gate door, huffing and puffing.
"……!!"
He froze when he spotted me in the hallway.
Then he lunged after me, so I bolted, whipping around.
At the corridor corner, I donned the Surprise Texture Mask and strolled past Han Biyeol casually. Hemo had handled the outfit change.
"Did you see the guy who just passed?!"
"Sorry. I have a habit of staring at the ground."
"Damn it!"
Han Biyeol glared around with his bulging eyes before charging into some random Chaos Gate.
Subordinate Han Biyeol donates a portion of acquired EXP.
Good. At this rate, I'd hit level 20 by end of day.
I settled into a comfy spot and logged into the YouTube HTN channel.
I plugged in my earbuds and watched. Financial analysts, likely bought off by the broadcaster, gave Loach Media glowing reviews. A company with bright prospects.
"HTN's working overtime."
HTN, which had gone toe-to-toe with KBC until the end, needed to recoup capital losses.
They pivoted to low-cost YouTube as a breakthrough.
Their video editors have killer instincts.
YouTube had become HTN's lifeline, sustaining the network on the brink of collapse.
YouTube was the wave of the era.
People preferred it over ad-riddled terrestrial broadcasts for news.
If nothing else, the accessibility.
I would've reached out to HTN even without meeting Gija-ryeong.
"Huh?"
At the video's end credits, the name of the lead director popped up.
Gija-ryeong.
…Promoted?
Suits her overflowing ambition. All good, then.
I closed YouTube. Time for the stock app.
"Whew."
Loach Media's stock was skyrocketing. My portfolio was burning blue.
Short selling means I lose as it rises.
Conversely, a drop meant multiples in profit.
Some might call it gambling.
"…Hunters have a lot of gambling addicts."
This was for the greater good.
Anyway.
Hostile HTN was raving about a company half-owned by KBC. Investor sentiment had to be rippling.
I grinned.
Then.
"Damn it!"
Han Biyeol bounced out of a Chaos Gate like a pinball, slumping against the wall in exhaustion.
Break time.
I quietly headed to the changing room and pulled out the suit I'd stashed in a locker.
I twisted in front of the full-length mirror, checking the fit. It was crisp—the one I'd worn for the KBC interview that went nowhere.
"Gonna drown the company I used to wear this for."
I brought the Surprise Texture Mask to my face.
The next instant, the mirror showed a stern-faced man anyone would peg as a hardass.
His exterior screamed 'scout' sharpness.
"Hemo."
Hemo finned over a badge. I'd swiped it from a North Ocean scout in the lobby earlier.
This bling proved scout status. I pinned it prominently and headed to the first floor.
The lobby, crawling with hunters.
As mentioned before, guild stocks could only be bought with Credits—hunters only.
I'm a North Ocean scout from now on.
What if an insider 'accidentally' dropped ominous hints in a spot packed with hunters?
Anxiety would spread like plague.
"Keep rising, Loach Media."
Half the shares were KBC's.
The other half? North Ocean's.
And.
"Co-founders always stab you best in the back."
Hurts more when it's family land.
Sure, I was just one hunter sweating over a few kobolds.
No power or violence to topple networks or organizations.
Egg against rock.
So wait for rocks to clash and one to crack.
I tucked the cord earbuds in like an in-ear radio and slipped among the hunters.
"Yes? That amount… You know North Ocean Guild's finances are tight these days, team leader…"
My full-throated acting.
"…?"
Hunters started glancing over, one or two at a time.
Guilds were always starved for talent.
One elite hunter could devour a hundred average ones.
Throw money at them, billions if needed. Recruit at any cost.
Scouts from various guilds, but all shared the stance.
Frozen salaries? Dangle eye-popping signing bonuses.
Yeouido 64 Building, smoking booth inside.
"Ugh… This gig's impossible."
"Seo-something, that guy's for real?"
"Not a bug. Association's been auditing processes—no glitches."
The booth teemed with guild lapels at heart level.
They turned the cramped space into a raccoon den.
Eyes not stinging?
Half-forced by higher-ups, they vented gripes with the smoke.
"Wish it was a bug. Could report 'gone, so bug' and done."
"Look at my collar. Yellow as hell. Wanna hit a sauna, damn."
"Quit whining. Miss him popping up? You're writing reports."
From rival guilds, yet.
Stuck together so long, a weird camaraderie formed.
Faces familiar now.
"North Ocean's sending way fewer scouts lately?"
"Heard they've got internal issues."
It was then.
"Oh, seniors."
"Yeah?"
A scout brought Maxims on a file folder tray.
"…Who?"
"New North Ocean scout."
The seasoned R&Y scout sized up the cheeky young gun.
Collar sharp enough to cut flesh.
Suit fresh off the rack, society grime minimal.
Still, that eager face reminded him of his younger self.
"Have a cup, seniors."
"Uh, yeah."
"Thanks. Name…?"
"Kim Wonseok."
"Wonseok junior, eh."
Scouts sipped the sweet brew. Delicious.
"Could sell this."
"Got my barista cert before joining!"
"Haha! Good kid! Newbies gotta nail the water ratio!"
I wiped away internal tears.
Would they believe I'd parachuted into the broadcaster and pulled six months of coffee duty?
"Anyway."
The R&Y scout stubbed his cig in an empty cup.
"Dunno if I should ask…"
"If I can solve a sky-high senior's curiosity!"
"Hahaha! Love this guy!"
Feeling backslaps like drumbeats, the 'upstanding youth' beamed.
"What's on your mind?"
"North Ocean scouts have been MIA lately. Junior know anything?"
"Ah, well…"
The upstanding youth looked troubled. He hesitated, then lowered his voice.
"Can't spill all—guild internal—but lately, we've redirected manpower elsewhere…"
"Elsewhere?"
"Even I don't know the details…"
Another scout chimed in.
"Hey, kid. Forgot the COEX Gate? North Ocean hunters got nabbed for robbery…"
"Right, right."
A few North Ocean thugs were under detention investigation.
Top guilds did it on the sly to build wealth.
North Ocean's difference?
Top four guilds did it cautiously.
North Ocean, still mid-tier vibe, stuck to wild—primitive—methods.
Got caught.
Why top guilds quietly shunned North Ocean.
The upstanding youth said,
"Our guild's still solid!"
"…Haha, sure."
Solid, huh.
Then why pull everyone but one newbie?
For face, they'd have yanked all scouts.
Want Seo-whatever bad, but short on manpower…
The R&Y scout smirked faintly.
Patted the youth's shoulder.
"Hang in there, junior. Doors always open at R&Y for interviews. Might even be your interviewer if lucky."
"Grateful, but I vowed to bury my bones with North Ocean that took this scrub."
"Haha. Got that scout disease. Anyway, keep at it."
In a flash, the senior scouts exchanged glances.
Exhaled smoke and filed out.
Left alone in the haze, the upstanding youth stood blankly.
"…Ow, eyes sting."
He peeled off the Surprise Texture Mask.
Black mask over mouth, Hemo molded to my jawline beneath.
A smile crept under the thin slime.
They were all clustered in the 64 Building.
That's why I keep resetting Chaos Gate records.
Bored, jaded scouts.
Thirsty for gossip, they'd spread it better than anyone.
Viral.
Word of mouth packs the biggest punch in opinion shaping.
My schedule was set these days.
Suck some of Han Biyeol's rage-fueled high blood pressure during his 'find me' hunt. Flash a strand of hair now and then for hope torture.
Once Han Biyeol dragged home exhausted, time to target scouts.
Play the sociable junior, get close.
Half truth about North Ocean, half spice.
Season well, scatter the rumors.
Isolated in the Association, scouts couldn't cross-verify.
Even if someone did, it was fleeting gossip. True or not, interest fades fast.
That's why word of mouth terrifies.
Low fact density, insane spread speed.
"KBC's ratings are climbing."
North Ocean's rep dips steadily.
Thought they were family, but a rift forms?
The sinking side'll do something.
Especially with KBC forgetting the 'ledger'?
North Ocean would act.
Worst case, with knives.
I smiled and headed to the showers.
To air out the barely worn suit's cig stench.
"Yo, heard? North Ocean bailed on recruiting that Seo dude? Short on cash?"
"Those thugs hoarding cash like fiends despite their crimes. No money?"
"COEX Gate—North Ocean guys tried robbing, all busted. Sprinkling cash to bail 'em."
"Should've known better. Damn! I bought North Ocean stock!"
"How much?"
"50 Credits."
"Idiot! Dump it!"
"You dump?"
"Pulled out ages ago! Clear everything tomorrow market opens. Saved your life. Hanwoo on me!"
A tossed pebble.
A few Yeouido investors.
Hunter stock accounts churned.