Chapter 20
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Is This a Threat or a Scout?
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They'd kept bidding recklessly and finally caused that disaster.
They'd already taken on three gates, and before even clearing those, they'd snatched up yet another one.
The expectation that throwing in the remaining hunters would get it cleared had gone spectacularly wrong.
As if shoving dozens of low-rank hunters lower than the gate's rating into it would solve everything.
Han Kitae's brow furrowed at the sheer patheticness of it all.
In the end, after 24 hours, creatures burst out of the gate and attacked nearby civilians.
That was the full story of the Stone Mountain Station incident.
The public backlash had been so fierce—even months later, it still gave him a pounding headache like it was yesterday.
If they hadn't gotten help from a nearby guild, the damage would've been far worse, no doubt.
But the guild that stepped in just had to be Do Jaegyu's Silver Spirit Guild, which rubbed him the wrong way.
As interest in Silver Spirit Guild skyrocketed, trust in government agencies hit rock bottom.
The director had been laying low for a while after the Stone Mountain Station fiasco.
And now it was starting up again.
The director ground his teeth every time he saw hunters defecting to guilds.
He didn't hesitate to brand them as traitors.
Maybe it stung extra because it happened on his watch.
Was he trying to make up for it somehow?
He should’ve put real effort into improving hunter treatment back when he had the chance.
They'd treated the defectors like crap for so long—couldn't blame them for jumping ship.
It was common practice to work low-rank hunters like dogs, dragging them to local events, even using them for personal errands.
He knew the government was at fault too, which was why he couldn't stop the hunters from leaving for guilds.
The director still hadn't given up his greed, pushing hard on gate bids again.
"They're overreaching again."
Most of the hunters hadn't even recovered from clearing the last gate.
Excluding himself, an SS-rank, he didn't have many usable personnel left.
"The ones still hanging on aren't even high-rank, and now they're spinning them through gates nonstop without a break... What a mess. No wonder they're grumbling."
"Ha..."
"At this rate, all the remaining hunters are gonna bail too."
'Bail...'
A shadow fell over Han Kitae's face.
"Team Leader's obviously getting pulled in again, and we've got that unregistered hunter the tracking team dumped on us to catch. Every time a gate opens, you're first on the call list."
He knew No Yunyoung was worried.
"Ha, we gotta do something. Everyone knows the Poison Toad's only director because he's the president's distant cousin. Should I just lay into him for real?"
"Cut it out. If anyone's doing it, it'll be me."
"Got it."
His complicated thoughts made his head throb with heat. His body, unrested for days, felt leaden.
And on top of that, Do Jaegyu—who he'd had no contact with since—acting all suspicious was giving him another headache.
'What the hell made Do Jaegyu move?'
Do Jaegyu, notorious for his bad blood with the director, had cleared an undetected gate first and even handed over byproduct rights?
Was he tangled up with Taeshin, Silver Spirit Guild's backer, somehow?
Han Kitae pressed his temple with his index finger, letting out only a low sigh.
'Guess I just have to watch and wait.'
With the resolve to keep an eye on Silver Spirit Guild going forward, Han Kitae squeezed his burning eyelids shut.
6. Is This a Threat or a Scout?
Sejin, settled in the sleek car, took in the luxurious interior of the sedan anew.
'Wow...'
There were only a handful like this on the market, she'd heard. She'd learned that tidbit while searching Do Jaegyu last time.
Even she, clueless about cars, recognized the brand—it was sold only to the influential and renowned.
"How much was it again?"
[I-it's pretty high-end, huh.]
Breaking Army Star finally admitted it grudgingly, showing he had an eye for such things.
"Looks insanely expensive."
She wasn't sure, but billions? No, it'd easily top tens of billions—a limited edition.
The flawless finish made her feel oddly intimidated.
'When would I ever ride in something like this?'
Even the seat leather felt premium, nothing ordinary.
Her butt, still damp from not fully drying, squirmed uncomfortably.
'Hope I don't ruin the leather by sitting here...'
Tensing her lower body, Sejin glanced out at Do Jaegyu chatting with his secretary.
His tailored suit pants hugged his long legs perfectly.
Standing with hands in pockets, he looked effortlessly sharp—her eyes wandered despite herself.
Worried the ghost-like Breaking Army Star might pick up on her thoughts, she coughed awkwardly and quickly sized up Do Jaegyu instead.
"Ahem. What the heck is he thinking?"
From all the talk about potential guild member, it seemed he hadn't given up on recruiting her.
[Remember what I said earlier!]
'Yeah, yeah, I got it.'
The stern voice warned her again.
Chewing her lip, Sejin picked up her phone.
"Eep."
<Hojikmate – Photo.>
<Hojikmate – What the hell? Are you insane?>
The screen was filled with a photo of the sink piled high with dishes.
<Me – Sorry. I'll handle it when I get home. Do NOT touch them, leave as is. Swear.>
The read receipt vanished instantly, like they'd been waiting.
<Hojikmate That’s not the issue, lol. Mom’s pissed AF right now. She’s mad you snuck out in the middle of the night without a word, ㅋ. If you come home, you’re done for;; >
"Ha... I'm dead."
Mom was usually mild-mannered, but when she got mad? Terrifying—who even are you? Sejin sniffled, tapping frantically at her phone.
<Me – No really, there was an emergency.>
<Hojikmate – And how's that my problem? Mom's yelling at the air like 'I thought sis had finally gotten her shit together, but nope, back to her crap.' Don't worryㅋ I'll at least give you a funeral as your lil sis.>
Tap-tap-tap. The frantic typing echoed in the car.
<Me – A friend called saying they had a rough day, so I went to cheer them up! For real!>
<Hojikmate – Everyone in this house knows you have no friends. The one you do have, Younga, is off on her working holiday. Lies need some effort at least.>
'This girl...'
[Right... Sejin. You don't have friends, do you?]
"I have some!"
[That's what no friends means...]
"Whose side are you on?"
The whole family knew her only friend was high school buddy Younga.
Still, she could've made new ones. How did they always nail her with facts like that?
Like mother, like daughter.
She huffed, steam practically puffing from her nostrils.
'Didn't even stick up for me once?'
Her texts, though, were a rambling mess of groveling.
<Me – Okay, yeah, leaving without saying is 100% my fault... But I've only been gone three hours... For real. And I'm an adult...>
<Hojikmate – Eh, whatever. Point is, no going back now. Sayonara.>
<Me – Can you put in a good word for me? Lil sis? I've been good with dishes the past month, right? C'mon, please?>
<Hojikmate – No way, you didn't even hit a full month. If I butt in, we'll both get kicked out.>
"Whoa... That bad? If I go home today, I'm getting beaten to death. Ha, ha."
She could already see the future.
It'd start with "You've been too quiet lately," then "Can't you see how hard I've worked raising you two alone?" and end with dragging Dad from heaven into it over bad parenting.
Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine. Sejin's legs trembled with anxiety.
"Sorry to keep you waiting?"
Do Jaegyu slid into the seat beside her, his voice soft.
But nothing registered in Sejin's ears.
A buried memory resurfaced suddenly.
One day long ago, when she knew nothing.
Mom grabbing her shoulders at the relatives' house, where she'd been romping like a wild foal.
Mom had smiled gently, for sure.
But her cheeks quivered vividly.
Ventriliquizing without moving her lips, she'd drawn a smile and said to Sejin,
'We'll talk at home.'
Her shoulders hunched instinctively at the memory of freezing in terror, shaking.
Sejin's face drained white as she cowered all the way home back then.
"What's wrong? Something happen?"
Do Jaegyu tilted his head at her worry-filled expression.
"No... Ha. It's nothing."
At twenty-two, admitting she'd get killed by Mom at home felt too pathetic.
Sweat trickled down her back.