Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Such a Thing
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I blinked at the number stamped in my bank account.
"Is this for real?"
I just couldn't believe it.
It happened to be the payday Hunters had promised, so I checked my account—and there was a number I'd never seen before in my life.
[Deposit: 1,000,000,000 won from Han So-yeon]
Ten billion?
Ten billion?
Didn't bank accounts have a limit of like eight digits or something?
Isn't this a glitch or what!
As those thoughts raced through my head, I grabbed hold of the ascension ritual that was trying to take off.
Of course, this money couldn't be legit.
Sure, I was thrilled and amazed to see that much cash suddenly appear in my account, but no matter how I looked at it, this had to be a mistake.
Even hearing that Kim guy say they'd give me a bonus didn't change that.
That whole thing with the old man was basically just a side quest, wasn't it?
But a side quest paying four times the main quest reward? That would be a problem even in a game, not just real life.
If a game was balanced like that, gamers would riot outside the studio, demanding the director's head on a pike.
An angry mob would parade the devs and director through the streets nailed to crosses. The cops who showed up might even award them a commendation as model citizens once they heard the story.
So yeah.
'Obviously, I have to give it back.'
With that, I immediately called Han So-yeon.
-What's up?
"Uh, it looks like some money got deposited by mistake."
-Pardon?
I explained the situation, but for some reason, she sounded disappointed.
-...So, you're saying you won't accept the money?
"No, it's not that I won't accept it—it's just that I want the amount we originally agreed on. How am I supposed to spend all that? I'm not some thief!"
Swallowing someone else's mistaken deposit is straight-up a crime to begin with.
If you didn't plan on dodging cops and swearing off banking for life, the right thing to do was return it.
But Han So-yeon's reaction was the opposite of what I expected.
-...So money really won't do it after all, huh.
What the hell does that mean!
I can be bought! I'm a man who can be bought with money!
Just not an amount that would have the government and other interest groups chasing me down, or one that would leave my conscience in tatters if I spent it all right now!
'But!'
This eight hundred million? Touching it felt like asking to get killed!
To be blunt, at first I wondered if Han So-yeon was trying to use me as some slush fund dummy account.
Was she really hitting me over the head now, after all that? That's when the image of her from the hotel room popped right into my mind.
Back then, she was clearly not in her right mind, body or soul.
In that state, she might've accidentally hit 10 billion instead of 2 with a twitch of her finger.
'But what happens when she comes to her senses later?'
She'd suddenly regret giving me eight hundred million. To get it back, she might turn me into the next "Kim old man."
I hinted at that delicately, and a sigh came through the phone—like she had no choice.
-...Got it. I'll prepare something else.
Fortunately, she seemed to understand my point by the end.
She even offered to send a gift instead, and I didn't refuse that.
No real reason—just that I'd always wanted to get fancy Chuseok gifts like beef from someone. A badge of moderate success, you know?
They had mentioned a bonus anyway.
"Sure, sure. Thanks for taking care of it."
With those thoughts, I ended the call and got back to my daily routine.
Prepared meals for Meow and me, greeted Ro Boss on the way out, and headed to work.
Then, after finishing my security shift entirely, I was on my way to Sauce Ne.
"Hey, Han-sik. I heard."
"Pardon?"
"They say you wrapped up that job nicely? Hunters even called me up. Asked where I dug up a guy like you."
Suddenly, So Boss brought up Hunters.
Makes sense—it all started with his intro, after all.
They must've contacted him too while settling up with me.
I grinned and played along.
"Heh, who do you think I am? Sauce Ne's ace. I clear jobs in one shot."
"Ace delivery boy my ass. Even the other kids clear 'em in one go."
True enough. Wrong deliveries weren't that common.
"Anyway, listen up. Let me tell you what I went through."
But I ignored So Boss's jab and launched into my heroic tale.
I figured since he brought it up first, he must be curious about what happened.
Surprisingly, though, what caught his attention wasn't the plot, process, or ending.
"For real? You spent all morning bitching about giving the money back?"
To be precise, it was the epilogue.
The back-and-forth with Han So-yeon and what followed.
"What was I supposed to do? The bank wouldn't let me. She insisted on giving me my money, but they blocked it."
Returning over a hundred million wasn't simple.
I'd never withdrawn that much in my life, so I didn't know.
But when I tried to send back everything except what I needed to keep, they slapped me with some withdrawal limit bullshit and froze it.
The fuck is this?
Ha, you punk kid think you can withdraw that much?
You're obviously getting scammed! Get lost!
These psycho bankers—I'm trying to give away my own money, and they pull this shit?
Thanks to them, I spent the morning in the security booth yelling on the phone about raising my withdrawal limit.
Feels like I slacked off a bit; sorry to Ro Boss. But nothing weird had happened lately, so she'd forgive this much.
"Hahahahahaha! Holy shit, that's hilarious—hahahaha!"
"Don't laugh! I was fucking pissed earlier."
I loaded the lunchboxes while scolding So Boss, who was laughing his usual hearty laugh.
Intentional or not, his laughter only stopped after I'd transferred everything to the Starex.
I eyed him for a moment and spoke up.
I had something to say anyway, so I'd let that little trick slide.
"Oh, right. So Boss."
"Yeah?"
"Got any more jobs like this?"
"Like what?"
"You know, the kind from that text—the Hunters gig. I'm apparently good with Constellation stuff... or, like you said, pollution resistance? If something comes up, hook me up."
Nothing new, really.
It was the same plan I'd always had: fatten my bank account through So Boss.
I'd waffled on asking before, but after this first job, I couldn't not say it. First time's the hardest, after all.
So Boss tilted his head, like he hadn't expected it.
"Huh? Weren't you planning to get a real job? You only took this one 'cause they paid big, right?"
"Yeah, that was then."
It was.
Hmm.
How to put this.
Basically, I'd come to accept it.
I couldn't do normal job hunting anymore.
Not specs, or physical/mental issues.
The gap between my world and normal people's was just too wide.
I realized that working for Hunters.
Take that potion incident.
We saw the same building but totally different things. Hell, even I'd hesitate to hire someone like me for a regular job.
Say I became a warehouse manager.
They stack stuff related to Constellations, but it looks invisible or wrong to me?
Of course I'd call complaining—then look like an idiot insisting my answer was right.
Or vice versa.
Why'd you let a complaint slide? I'd get hauled to the boss's office and reamed out. I'd suffer in silence and cry my way home.
No matter how I sliced it, normal work felt impossible!
Time to accept it.
I couldn't do ordinary jobs. Sad, but reality.
But I couldn't just bum around forever either.
So I laid out my hard-thought conclusion from the past week to So Boss.
"Can't live off part-time gigs forever. So if stuff like this pops up, I gotta step up for my retirement, right? Plus, I seem to have a knack for it."
From now on, no more job-hunting Kang Han-sik. I'd live as exorcist Kang Han-sik!
For myself, not some faceless employer!
So Boss chuckled and replied.
"Exorcist? What, going ghost hunting?"
"Eh, couldn't think of a better word. Anyway, you got any or not?"
"Well, yeah."
He said it like it was obvious.
Just as I thought.
So Boss wasn't your average lunchbox shop owner.
His real identity: a retired agent with a foot in every major incident worldwide...
"Dude, come on."
"Eh, not?"
"What, you think I'm some isekai guild master? I just know people. What'd you expect from a lunchbox guy?"
Fair enough.
But functionally the same, so my take wasn't totally off.
"Anyway, I can hook you up with jobs... hmm."
"What?"
"You serious? This one worked 'cause it suited you—no issues. But usually, they're way riskier. I know you've got high pollution resistance, but some gigs really risk your life."
"Bring it."
Did I bring this up without thinking?
"I'm ready. If I don't do this, I'll just part-time my way to lonely death in old age. Better seize what I can while young."
"Yeah, I get it."
Finally, So Boss nodded.
"Alright. We'll text details later. I'll let you know if something decent comes up."
"Thanks."
Nice.
We wrapped up casually, and right as I started the Starex, So Boss asked through the window.
"Oh, right. You keeping the part-times?"
"Huh?"
"Deliveries and Happiness Apartment security. You gonna juggle those with this stuff?"
Oh, that.
Worried I'd ditch the main gig for side hustles?
Unnecessary concern.
"Of course."
Bluntly, deliveries and security were top-tier part-time for me.
So Boss hooked up jobs, so I needed to stay on his good side.
Ro Boss went without saying.
'Hunters paid sweet, sure.'
Who guarantees 500k a month just to sit 6 hours a day?
Quitting? Never crossed my mind.
Actually, to begin with.
"I live there."
"...Huh?"
"Happiness Apartment. Moved in fully."
"...What?"
Oh yeah, hadn't told So Boss yet.
I was already a resident.
Planned to move after getting Hunters' pay, but Ro Boss had stocked the place with appliances. Couldn't leave.
Offered rent, but she insisted it was fine—stay as long as I wanted.
'For free!'
Of course, couldn't mooch entirely, so I insisted on handling her housework and cleaning to earn my keep.
Bluntly, I was basically her personal butler now.
"No way I'd quit security in this setup."
"..."
This must've shocked him—he made a face I'd never seen.
That expression on him? Live long enough, see everything.
So Boss blinked blankly for a while, then muttered softly as I said goodbye.
"...She'll like that."
"Out! Ro Boss isn't the type to get all emotional over this!"
But the content slandered her character, so I yelled.
No one slanders Ro Boss on my watch—not even fellow bosses!
"...Fucking lunatic."
Heard a little curse after, but I ignored it and hit the gas.
Lots of deliveries today.
Chitchat over.
That evening.
After deliveries, playing with Meow using a toy I'd bought online.
Bzzz.
So Boss texted.
As expected, it was about "such a thing."
[So Boss: Listed what you need. Just say yes or no.]
[Attachment: 1.hwp]
I sent a quick thanks and checked it.
Details on some mountain lodge: a Constellation had polluted it into a monster mansion.
'Objective: Purge or destroy the mansion. Deadline: None?'
I smirked at the military-op style briefing.
'Who'd believe this guy's a normal lunchbox seller after sending this!'
So Boss was definitely a foreign secret agent!
Retired or undercover—who knows—but anything less doesn't add up!
Anyway.
He didn't wanna reveal, so whatever.
I scanned the rest.
Classic monster house: beasts at night, unlivable.
List of confirmed monsters beside it—skim and move on.
I couldn't confirm till I saw them anyway.
The real hook: pay.
'20 million won.'
Peanuts compared to Hunters, but not bad.
Nah, perfect even.
After one 200-million job, jumping to 500 mil or billions screamed accident waiting.
So Boss was right.
These gigs are dangerous.
More so with bigger payouts.
20 mil felt right—fun challenge, not too risky.
'No way they're shoving a meat grinder gig for 20 mil.'
Maybe 5-10 deaths out of 100 entrants.
That'd make the rate fair.
And if others saw it that way, it'd probably be a breeze for me.
Okay, monster lodge analyzed. Sold.
[Kang Han-sik: I'll take it]
[So Boss: Look at this punk, got some experience and now he's all curt.]
[Kang Han-sik: lol, will do.]
Sent the acceptance, and Meow poked at my phone.
"Meow."
Seemed interested.
A thought flashed.
"Meow, need a phone?"
"Meow?"
"C'mere. This is a keypad. You press like this. Wanna type what you wanna say?"
I shoved the phone at Meow.
She's a Constellation, smart too—maybe we could communicate?
Honestly curious what she thinks daily.
Tap.
The moment Meow touched it.
Zap!
"...Huh?"
A sound that shouldn't happen—screen went black.
Tried rebooting: dead as doornail.
"Ah."
Meow, you little shit.
Snacks confiscated for a week.