Chapter 19
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Ripples?
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"Ripples?"
That wasn't even funny.
"Isn't it because of me that the hunters who were being worked like dogs—no, treated like expendable tools—finally have their rights upheld?"
Do Jaegyu's smile faded from his face under Han Kitae's icy gaze, which seemed to frame the agency's corruption as mere individual deviance rather than systemic rot.
"People usually call it reform. You've been diving into gates since you were a kid, huh? Your vocabulary is a bit... You might need to hit the books again."
Even the provocation didn't faze Han Kitae.
'Didn't expect him to crack a smile anyway.'
Do Jaegyu stared at No Yunyoung's back as she talked on the phone, his expression bored as he stepped back.
"Yes. Yes, yes. Twenty minutes? Got it. Right now? Understood."
No Yunyoung hung up and hurried over to Han Kitae, pressing close.
She lowered her voice to a whisper.
"The permit was indeed issued by the Director himself. They say the Silver Spirit Guild Leader cleared it on the condition that all byproducts belong to the government?"
Han Kitae's eyes filled with suspicion. It was completely out of character for Do Jaegyu.
"Fine, the permit checks out. But you still need to explain yourself properly."
"Didn't I tell you earlier? It's a talent donation."
Han Kitae's anger slowly built as Do Jaegyu enunciated each syllable deliberately.
"Cut the bullshit."
No Yunyoung quickly wedged herself between them as Han Kitae growled, his body tensing like he might lunge any second.
"Even when the junior tells the truth, you won't listen..."
Do Jaegyu shook his head as if at a loss.
A grinding sound came from between Han Kitae's teeth at that infuriating expression.
Kim Myeongjin, who'd been gauging the mood, jumped in hastily amid their clashing auras.
"We were on the move because of the Guild Leader's schedule."
Kim Myeongjin held out his palm toward the pad No Yunyoung was holding.
It passed to him naturally. After tapping the screen a few times, he handed it back for them to check.
"Hm... Taeshin Corporation's 50th Anniversary Event?"
"Yes."
Kim Myeongjin nodded vigorously as No Yunyoung read the official document aloud word for word.
He craned his neck and swiped to the next screen.
"This is the suite hotel room the Chairman booked for the commemorative event starting tomorrow morning. Here's the hotel reservation confirmation. We stopped by the Incheon branch today and are rushing back to Seoul."
No Yunyoung glanced at Han Kitae with a what-now? look amid Kim Myeongjin's seamless explanation.
"You heard that, right?"
Han Kitae turned away, his face twisting at Do Jaegyu's smug grin.
"Oh, and the Director wants you back at HQ immediately. They're dispatching a gate isolation unit from the nearest administrative district... Should take about ten minutes."
"You should go. Since you're already volunteering, we'll keep civilians away until the isolation unit arrives."
"That would be appreciated."
Do Jaegyu waved it off casually at No Yunyoung's polite thanks.
"They were family once. It's the least I can do."
Han Kitae shot Do Jaegyu a cold glare at the glib response.
"Let's go."
Do Jaegyu watched them leave completely before relaxing his shoulders.
"I was worried they might not buy it and stick around."
"So why tell such an obvious lie?"
"What lie?"
"No one would believe 'talent donation,' would they?"
"What, you wanna nitpick my usual behavior?"
Kim Myeongjin groaned but quickly shut his mouth.
That's why you need to manage your image better, his face plainly screamed.
Do Jaegyu ignored it and strode into the gate.
"Get the car ready."
"Got it."
Inside, he spotted a small hooded figure crouched down, doodling in the dirt with a stick.
The hood was pulled so tight that the round shape of her head was perfectly outlined.
Whether she noticed him or not, she kept scratching away at the ground.
"Crazy... bastard?"
"Eek!"
"Is that supposed to be me?"
"N-No, it's not!"
Do Jaegyu narrowed his eyes, stepping back as Sejin shot to her feet.
"Doesn't sound like it."
Sejin frantically rubbed out the dirt writing with her foot, stubbornly denying it despite the evidence.
Would that make it disappear?
"It's not!"
Do Jaegyu studied her flushed face as she yelled at the top of her lungs.
She looked way younger than twenty-two, no matter how he squinted.
He'd believe she just graduated high school—her cheeks still baby-fat plump, bulging out from under the tightly bound hood.
'She looks squeezable.'
His intel department wouldn't screw up the info, but it was hard to buy visually.
"Sejin."
"Yes?"
"You're twenty-two, right?"
"Yes?"
"Hm."
Do Jaegyu nodded and turned away.
"Han Kitae was here."
"Eek! H-Han Kitae was here?"
Do Jaegyu nodded at her wide eyes.
"Yeah. They were waiting outside when we left. If we hadn't cleared the gate, he might've come right in..."
"Whoa. Shit."
Her face screamed that was close. Sejin pressed her hand to her chest, blinking rapidly.
"That was a close call."
"Sure was. You waited nicely."
If she'd bolted out without listening, things would've gotten messy for both of them.
Sejin scratched her head over the hood at the casual praise.
"We should move too. Isolation unit's coming soon. Better clear out, right?"
"Got it."
Do Jaegyu stepped out first, watching Sejin follow obediently. But despite her words, she dragged her feet, clearly reluctant.
'Wearing her emotions on her sleeve like that.'
It was amusing. Do Jaegyu chuckled under his breath and exited the gate.
"What's the summons about?"
Han Kitae rubbed his brow wearily, letting the smoothly gliding car carry him.
"Probably the A-rank gate opening the day after tomorrow."
"Probably?"
"He wouldn't say, so I'm guessing."
Han Kitae glared at No Yunyoung shrugging at the wheel, then squeezed his eyes shut.
'Talent donation? Ha.'
Having been on the same team, Han Kitae knew Do Jaegyu too well for that excuse to fly.
'That Do Jaegyu doing a talent donation?'
Not unless he'd lost his mind.
Five years. Not a short time on the same team. But Do Jaegyu had been hostile to government hunters from day one.
He never hid it, acting out openly—which had caused headaches for Han Kitae more than once or twice.
As team leader, it was a pain. Clashes with teammates were one thing, but defying the Director's orders? Always him.
Still, Han Kitae thought he'd looked after him well as leader.
Apparently not, since Do Jaegyu had jumped ship to a corporation without a word.
Not just that. He'd upended the very foundation that hunters belonged to the government.
High-rankers followed his lead, quitting or forming guilds with corporations.
Now, the government's remaining hunters were a shadow of their former selves.
"Team Leader."
"What."
"Why does Do Jaegyu hate you so much?"
"Beats me."
Even Han Kitae didn't know exactly.
He'd play nice and friendly one moment, then draw a hard line the next.
A slippery fox you couldn't read. A tough team member to handle. That was Do Jaegyu in Han Kitae's eyes.
No answer forthcoming, No Yunyoung switched topics.
"Heard the Poison Toad went nuts trying to snag that A-rank gate bid."
"You gonna fix that crude mouth of yours?"
"Me? Why?"
No Yunyoung blinked her big eyes innocently as she stopped at a red light, clueless.
"Ugh, the Director... Sigh."
Not like explaining to a kid. The more they talked, the more Han Kitae sighed.
"Y'know, Poison Toad's too long. How about just Poison Toad? Nah, Toad works better."
No Yunyoung perked up, genuinely pleased with her brainstorm as she stroked her chin.
"Toad. Yeah, fits him perfect."
She mumbled "Toad" approvingly, ignoring him completely.
Han Kitae turned to the window, covering his mouth to exhale softly.
"Toad, toad, poison toad. Full of venom, gunning for that bid."
"Ha..."
His fatigue deepened.
"Still, watch your mouth. It might slip out in front of the Director."
"Aye aye."
"And what's this about him going nuts over the A-rank?"
"He's been losing gate bids left and right lately."
The current Director was a greedy one.
Do Jaegyu had already shrunk the Hunter Promotion Agency's hunter base—not enough, apparently, since gate bids were slipping away too. No wonder he was desperate.
Stone Mountain Station incident was the same.