The Vice Captain's Knife
Cheongmyeong Guild. One of Korea's three major guilds, famous enough to make its name known worldwide. Among those top three, it was especially praised for the exceptional quality of its individual members, thanks to its heavy emphasis on guild member management.
The person Cheongmyeong welcomed with open arms was none other than Yoo Seo-ah. She was a hunter who'd achieved the feat of soloing an upper A-rank monster, the Grim Reaper, with just her team. Like winning the lottery without even scratching the ticket.
So when Yoo Seo-ah said she wanted to join, Cheongmyeong accepted her without haggling over a single condition, offering unprecedented treatment. Actually, "accepted" isn't quite right. After taking down the Grim Reaper, every guild in Korea was practically handing her a free executive pass. Cheongmyeong was the one chosen by Yoo Seo-ah.
Upon joining, she was immediately appointed as the third seat in the 1st Unit. Normally, new recruits started at the bottom of the 10th Unit, per guild rules—that made her treatment absurdly preferential. That's how vital she was to them.
Yet this key talent goes into a gate and comes back half-dead? On its own, not that strange. Hunters are the poster children for high-risk, high-reward jobs where death could come at any moment.
But brushing it off with "Hunters get wrecked sometimes, but she survived, so lucky her" didn't sit right. There were too many fishy details.
"There was a stab wound that pierced her back and came out through her stomach. All the other injuries were from massive blunt force, but that one on her abdomen was definitely from a blade."
The piercing wound on her abdomen, specifically.
My Healing Massage required precisely identifying the injury site to activate. Yoo Seo-ah was dying with not a single intact spot on her body, so I had to check her everywhere. That's when I found it—the abdominal piercing wound. Way too out of place compared to the rest, it sparked legitimate suspicion.
In my mind, that stab wound on her gut wasn't from a monster.
"Who did that to you?"
I needed to know for sure. Which ballsy motherfucker stabbed our former team leader—my current member—Yoo Seo-ah in the back?
"Eek."
Startled by my unusually icy tone, Yoo Seo-ah flinched, then answered in a trembling voice.
"W-Well, it was like..."
*
"...And that's how it happened."
"Hm."
I nodded slightly after her 30-minute explanation. I'd been wondering how to kill time during the treatment, but her story flew by.
Anyway, summing up her 30-minute situation report:
1. Called to assemble at the Gangnam Station Gate, got there fast—turns out it was just Cheongmyeong's 1st Unit.
2. The unit captain was away on special assignment elsewhere, so the vice captain took command.
3. Gate rank measured A-rank.
4. Deemed sufficient with the assembled forces, entered under the vice captain's lead.
5. Reached the boss room smoothly as expected; while others handled the mobs, Yoo Seo-ah and the vice captain tackled the boss.
6. Fierce fight, but they had margin; right when she thought they'd clear without issue, the vice captain stabbed her in the back.
"And then I was rescued just before dying."
"Y-Yes, exactly. If it weren't for you, Jinseong-ssi, I... I wouldn't even have a body left. Thank you so much for saving me."
"Nah, no biggie. You're my first member—had to save you."
I brushed off her thanks lightly, then grabbed her shoulders and pulled her from my embrace.
"Ah?!"
"You're good now. Treatment's done."
"Oh... you're right."
She panicked at first when I let go, but soon relaxed, feeling no pain even after time passed. What was with that scared look the second I pulled away? She's an A-rank hunter way stronger than me, but damn, she's cute.
I nearly lost myself in her flustered expression but snapped back. No time for that.
"Alright, got the full story now. One question for you, Team Leader."
"Ah, sure. Ask away."
"That vice captain fucker—is he strong?"
"Pardon? Uh..."
She pondered, scratching her cheek before answering.
"Strong... I guess? Top tier among A-ranks. Probably."
As expected, super vague. That reaction confirmed why the vice captain stabbed her back.
"Team Leader, I get it now. Why that vice captain punk stabbed you."
"What?! How? I can't even guess—it's driving me crazy!"
"The fact that you can't even guess is exactly why he stabbed you."
"What does that...?!"
She tilted her head, utterly baffled. Seeing that just solidified it.
I had zero desire to empathize with that vice captain asshole, but this was a reason she'd never understand. Only us mortals could.
"Inferiority complex. Mixed with jealousy, impatience, anxiety—that's what made him do it."
"Inferiority... complex?"
Her explanation naturally included details on the vice captain dickhead. From the moment she joined as 3rd seat in the 1st Unit, he'd glared at her with murderous envy every damn day. After she led ten unit members to clear the A-rank dungeon Red Oak Garrison as team leader, his stares turned even more vicious.
I'd half-guessed from that, but her wishy-washy description of his strength sealed it.
"Team Leader, you're already stronger than that vice captain, right?"
"Huh? Well... probably. During the gate boss fight, I felt him falling behind my pace."
"That's why he stabbed you. Figured if he left you alone, you'd rocket up and steal his rice bowl soon enough."
"...Ah."
The vice captain was scared of Yoo Seo-ah. More precisely, scared of her taking his spot.
The world doesn't hand out fair chances and talents to everyone. It dumps it all on a few geniuses. And Yoo Seo-ah was a supernova talent, genius among geniuses.
When a monster like that joins as your subordinate, superiors shit their pants. Fear of losing your position, anxiety, inferiority, jealousy—super common.
But still. There's shit you can feel and shit you cannot do.
No matter how inferior or anxious, you don't stab someone in the back to kill them.
That vice captain fucker, wearing human skin, did the unforgivable to my rare friendly acquaintance and sole member, Yoo Seo-ah. Rage shook my body.
Then—
Bzzz—
My phone vibrated on the bedside table. What the? No one should be calling.
Right now, priority was plotting payback with Yoo Seo-ah, not checking my phone. I glanced at the lit screen, about to turn back—
"Huh?"
I picked up the phone, double-checking the notification.
[(Breaking News) Cheongmyeong Guild 1st Unit Statement Live.]
It was a live alert from NewTube Hunter News Channel. Those four words—"Cheongmyeong Guild"—had me firing up the stream instantly.
"Holy shit, look at this prick."
No way a face that thick existed—even iron plates wouldn't cut it. My head filled with urges to wreck his life.
That's when—
Owner's legitimate demand confirmed.
Safe House member protection system activated.
"...Oh?"
A way to beat that on-screen fucker into the ground just appeared before my eyes.