Chapter 127: The Hunter Management Bureau
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 127: The Hunter Management Bureau
3
The Korean Hunter Management Bureau.
This was the organization to which all of Korea’s hunters belonged. It was responsible for mobilizing them in the event of a national disaster and punishing any hunters who committed crimes.
Hunters were on a completely different level from ordinary people, so the regular police force couldn't handle them.
For that reason, it was the agents of the Hunter Management Bureau who were tasked with subduing or dealing with hunters.
I remember hearing that the agents at the Management Bureau receive the best treatment possible.
If they didn't, the agents would just leave for the private sector instead of working as civil servants.
And the man standing before me, Jin So-yeop, was one such agent.
He was currently mixing his fifth stick of sugar-free instant coffee into a plastic water bottle.
How can he even drink that?
“I apologize for visiting like this, following you without any prior notice.”
“Not at all. I understand the Bureau’s situation. You must be very busy, right?”
When I asked cautiously, he trembled, clutching the bottle of coffee.
“We are. We’re a little busy. No, not a little. We’re just so, so busy.”
I could clearly see the face of a civil servant drowning in fatigue.
“To be honest, I know I’m not in a position to complain. I’m just a lowly public servant.”
He wore a truly pitiful expression.
“But it’s been about a month since I’ve been home. I’ve only been able to see my daughter’s face through video calls.”
“Ah…”
I fell silent.
I’m probably part of the reason the Hunter Management Bureau is so busy.
Indeed, the recent string of events must have been one disaster after another for the Bureau.
Girasung opening a massive, high-speed dimensional gate.
Alterz suddenly showing signs of turning its back on Korea.
An S-rank hunter from Alterz’s reformist faction arriving in Korea and causing a commotion.
The World Returnee Association demanding that I be made an SS-rank hunter.
For them, it must have felt like their heads were about to explode.
“…I just wish things would quiet down a little.”
Hearing his plea for me to cause less trouble, I nodded bitterly.
I felt sorry for him, but I couldn't make any promises on that front.
After all, the situation with Alterz was far from resolved.
“Tsk, what a load of crap from a public servant. If it weren’t for you, that guy wouldn’t be going home for the rest of his life, let alone a month. And this is the thanks you get for solving a problem they couldn’t handle. Tsk, tsk.”
Baeksan, however, looked at the agent and spoke with dissatisfaction.
It was certainly likely that in Baeksan’s world, the Hunter Management Bureau was being worked to the bone even more relentlessly.
I wondered if the Jin So-yeop of that world could even remember his daughter’s face anymore.
“My apologies. I shouldn’t have grumbled. The fatigue must have really piled up recently.”
“It’s alright.”
Although my own work at the company was relatively comfortable, I knew all too well how agonizing it was to be unable to go home.
“Now, to get to the main point, the matter of making you an SS-rank hunter, Mr. Kang Ha-chan, is proceeding smoothly on our end.”
I couldn’t believe this was actually happening.
Letting out a dry laugh at how I was suddenly becoming an SS-rank hunter, I asked a question that had been on my mind.
“With this, is the Korean hunter market completely turning its back on Alterz?”
He nodded.
“Truthfully, the Korean hunter market was never on the best of terms with Alterz to begin with. Are you aware of the unofficial hunter rankings?”
“Yes, they’re called unofficial, but they’re quite famous.”
The hunter rankings could be found with a quick search on any hunter-related website.
They were an unofficial list ranking the world’s known hunters.
The rankings, which were a comprehensive evaluation based on a hunter’s track record, abilities, and other factors, were surprisingly accurate.
Moreover, they were updated daily, so many people paid close attention to them.
“Yes. While they are unofficial, as many of a hunter’s achievements can’t be publicly disclosed, these rankings are widely known among the general public.”
“I suppose ordinary citizens wouldn’t know the inner workings of the hunter world.”
“Precisely. And in those rankings, not a single Korean hunter has made it into the top 10. In fact, aside from our Bureau Chief at 18th place, all of them are ranked outside the top 20.”
He let out a regretful sigh.
In the past, the Korean hunter market had made the foolish mistake of trying to tie hunters to the nation, just as they had with returnees, which led to a massive talent drain.
Ever since then, the Korean hunter market had been struggling, and as a result, it always suffered from a lack of talent.
“Of course, there are those like the Snow Mountain Wolf, Ha Seo-ho, who have been gaining prominence recently and are on the verge of breaking into the top 20.”
“But unofficial rankings that include past records don’t get overturned that easily.”
The other high-ranking hunters weren’t just sitting around, after all.
“Yes. As a result, the Korean hunter market was frankly looked down upon by Alterz. With our small landmass, we have fewer dimensional gates, so they treated us like a minor market.”
“It’s true that it’s a difficult land for resource procurement.”
From oil onwards, our country had always been a nation with few resources.
“That’s why our Korean hunters were pushed around a lot in the global market. Mr. Ha Seo-ho also left Alterz because he was fed up with their vile behavior.”
I knew the Korean hunter market wasn’t in a great state, but hearing it like this, it seemed there were far more problems than I’d realized.
“Ironically, the one thing our country could boast about was its returnees. I’ve never met her myself, but the Bureau Chief has met with the Chairperson of the World Returnee Association. The higher-ups are all aware that the Association’s Chairperson is Korean.”
Seol-hyang only ever used a proxy and never revealed herself in an official capacity.
When I asked her about it once, she said that having the appearance of a young woman on Earth led to a lot of troublesome situations.
No matter how much times changed, there were always old-fashioned types who would try to find fault with things like that.
However, she also said that hiding her identity from the top brass would make her work more cumbersome, so she had shown her face to key figures.
“So, from our perspective, joining hands with the World Returnee Association instead of making an enemy of Alterz isn’t a bad choice.”
“So that’s how it was.”
“Yes. Besides, as I mentioned, even though our hunters are working hard, we don’t have a hunter we can openly showcase compared to other countries. So, making you an SS-rank hunter, Mr. Kang Ha-chan, is a favorable proposition for us as well.”
After all, my existence had already been sufficiently proven.
“Ah, we’re here.”
Just then, the car arrived at our destination.
He opened his door and got out first, then held my door open for me.
Feeling a little awkward at the gesture, I stepped out of the car and realized we were in an underground parking garage.
It was likely the Bureau’s garage.
“This visit to the Bureau is also partly for show, for Alterz’s benefit.”
“So Alterz is watching, as expected?”
“Yes. They’ll know this is just a demonstration, but at the very least, it will show them that you are not unaffiliated with us.”
He then added that, of course, they would ensure I would never have to step into the spotlight after this.
It seemed Seol-hyang had given them a stern warning about that part.
“Well then, the Bureau Chief is waiting, so let’s end our conversation here and move a bit more quickly.”
I rode the elevator with Jin So-yeop and soon arrived at the Bureau Chief’s office.
Knock, knock—
“Bureau Chief, I’ve brought Mr. Kang Ha-chan.”
“Let him in.”
With the reply from inside, Jin So-yeop opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for me to enter.
After thanking him, I stepped inside.
The Bureau Chief’s office looked like any typical CEO’s office one might imagine.
Perhaps because I had just seen where Seol-hyang worked, I wasn’t particularly impressed.
Standing before me with a smile was an elderly man who looked to be of advanced age.
Chief of the Korean Hunter Management Bureau.
Unofficial Hunter Rank: 18th.
Baekduho, Do Cheol-su.
If Korea’s returnees had Geumgangho, then Korea’s hunters had Baekduho.
These two were known as the two fierce beasts of Korea.
Dressed in brown traditional daily wear, he offered me a benevolent smile.
“A pleasure to meet you. My name is Do Cheol-su.”
“Ah, I’m Kang Ha-chan.”
As I returned the greeting to the legendary figure of the Korean hunter world, he gestured for me to take a seat.
“Do you like sweets?”
“Yes, I’m quite fond of them.”
“That’s a relief. Please, have some of these.”
Despite the significant age gap between us, he spoke to me formally and offered me some cookies.
They looked like expensive, handmade cookies, but since he offered, I picked one up. As I bit into it, a sweet flavor rushed through my head.
“Now that you’re here, let’s have an arm-wrestling match.”
“Cough, ex-excuse me?”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard. I forced myself to swallow the cookie in my mouth and turned to look at him.
But he was smiling benevolently, with the same expression he’d had when offering me the cookies.
“I said, let’s have an arm-wrestling match.”
…Is this old man sane?
As I reeled in bewilderment at the sudden talk of arm-wrestling, he began to roll up his sleeves.
The old man’s arm was so thin it looked like it would break if I so much as grabbed it.
On that arm was a shriveled tiger tattoo, which looked just as feeble as his arm.
It had been over 30 years since Do Cheol-su had retired from active duty as a hunter.
He had served as the Chief of the Hunter Management Bureau ever since, so he had lost much of the strength he’d had in his prime.
The one who’s strange is Geumgangho Gye Du-sik, who’s still on active duty.
Then again, returnees were in a league of their own, so there was no comparison.
“I’m the Chief of the Korean Hunter Management Bureau. How can I not know the capabilities of an SS-rank hunter?”
“Sir, didn’t you say this was just for image?”
“I’m old, so I don’t really understand this ‘image’ stuff. I just gave my permission because you young people were pushing for it.”
He chuckled, but I knew that wasn’t the case.
This was a man who had been the Bureau Chief for thirty years.
How could a man who had lived as the Bureau Chief for longer than I had been alive not know?
This was clearly a blatant test.
Is he trying to confirm it for himself?
Whether the guy who had been causing so many problems recently was actually capable of handling them.
“…Yes, well, alright.”
I didn’t know how I’d ended up in a situation where I was arm-wrestling the Chief of the Hunter Management Bureau, but there was no reason I couldn’t play along.
Even if it was a bit random.
“We’ll do a single round,” the Bureau Chief said as I clasped his hand.
At the same time, as if he had prepared it beforehand, he tapped the table, and numbers appeared on its surface.
…Don’t tell me he’s done this with others besides me.
I could see faint indentations on the table.
It seemed this old man did this with every guest who came to see him.
I’d heard rumors that Do Cheol-su was an eccentric, but I never imagined it was to this extent. Just as I was reeling in shock…
[ START! ]
The countdown on the table finished, and the start signal rang out.
And then I saw it.
The moment the shriveled Baekdu Mountain tiger tattoo on his arm was reborn in its true form.
Baekduho, Do Cheol-su.
Why was he called the Baekdu Mountain Tiger?
It was a nickname he’d earned in the past because his physique was said to be as imposing as Mt. Baekdu, the highest peak in Korea.
And now, I was witnessing the second coming of the Baekdu Mountain Tiger right before my eyes.
His previously frail arm swelled to an absurd size, as if its thinness had been a disguise, and began to pour out an intense energy.
If he threw a punch with that arm, wouldn’t it pierce through a steel plate?
The Baekdu Mountain tiger tattoo glaring at me from between those arm muscles sent a shiver down my spine.
Simultaneously, the immense force coming from the hand gripping mine felt stronger than any I had ever experienced.
Crazy.
How could a human who was 89 years old this year produce this much power?
Even the S-rank hunters I’d met before weren’t this strong, I thought, biting my lip hard.
My arm was being bent back in an instant.
He had challenged me to prove myself, so I couldn't lose here.
This was the Chief of the Korean Management Bureau.
If he, the man with the most influential voice among hunters, were to oppose this matter, I wouldn’t be able to face Seol-hyang.
Therefore, just as I had with Hyeok-seo, I pulled on the threads of my aura.
Thanks to my improved technique, about half of my aura was successfully channeled into my arm.
Crackle!
Red sparks erupted around my arm.
In that instant, a surge of power welled up within me, and I snapped my arm back up just before the back of my hand hit the table.
Thanks to that, the tables turned in a flash, and it was now Do Cheol-su’s hand that was about to be slammed down.
A flicker of surprise crossed Do Cheol-su’s eyes.
He looked as if he hadn’t expected me to reverse the situation in one go.
My aura was so high-output that even battle-hardened returnees were slow to react to it.
That’s why, for a brief moment, my physical abilities had far surpassed the average level of a hunter.
Realizing this, Do Cheol-su’s strength grew even greater than before.
As if he had no intention of letting me win, the force I felt from him doubled, and I was taken aback.
Is this man still at an active-duty level?
But because of that, his hand stopped precariously just before it touched the table.
I only needed to push a little further, but that little bit was proving to be much harder than I’d thought.
If my aura control had been more refined, it would have been over in that one move, but I wasn’t there yet.
A stubborn pride welled up in me.
Men have a tendency to bet everything on an arm-wrestling match for no good reason.
In that case!
I had no choice but to use my aura again.
The moment I made that decision…
Crrraaaack!
Suddenly, I heard something breaking from below.
When Do Cheol-su and I looked down at the table, we saw that cracks had begun to form, starting from the spot where my fingertips were lightly touching it.
“Uh.”
The moment I let out a short sound, the table split apart with a loud CRACK.
Somehow, I found myself frozen, still clasping Do Cheol-su’s hand in an arm-wrestling pose. I looked at the table and asked quietly.
“Um, was… was this table made from a dimensional entity?”
“It was made from the materials of an S-rank dimensional entity that gave me the most trouble before I retired.”
I quietly let go of his hand.
I had realized that my indiscriminate ability to destroy dimensional entities had just broken his table.
“…I’ll compensate you for it.”
“No, I was the one who asked for this. It’s fine. More importantly…”
He began to stroke his chin with a look of deep satisfaction.
“You’re really something else. In all my life, I’ve rarely seen anyone who could go this far against me in an arm-wrestling match.”
My body was a gift from the regressor Baeksan, so it would be strange if there were others like me.
But I couldn’t exactly tell him that.
As I stood there awkwardly, he nodded and rose from his seat.
Then, he retrieved a photograph from somewhere and handed it to me.
In it was a pretty young woman.
As I looked at it, puzzled, he spoke with a benevolent smile.
“That’s my daughter. I’d like to introduce you two. What do you think?”
…This old man is definitely not sane.