The Hunter Management Department’s Newest Recruit
“...Excuse me? Could you say that again?”
Cheon Yooshin, who had been busy passing time playing games at home, stared at Park Haesu.
“Well, you see, you have been included as a participant in the upcoming National Assembly hearing, Mr. Cheon Yooshin.”
“Me? Really?”
Yooshin pointed at himself with his finger, as if to confirm he had heard correctly.
“Yes, that is correct. However, you don’t necessarily have to attend. There is no obligation for ordinary citizens who are not public officials or government personnel to participate.”
Park Haesu had naturally assumed Cheon Yooshin would decline. After watching him for nearly a month, he knew that Yooshin absolutely loathed anything troublesome. So, naturally—
“That sounds fun. Let’s go. When is it?”
“Yes, you don’t have to go... wait, what? You’re going to attend?”
“Yeah. If they called me, I should go. When else would I ever get to attend a National Assembly hearing?”
Excuse me? People don’t attend hearings for fun, you know?
“Hahaha... you really don’t have to attend, you know?”
“No, I think it’ll be interesting.”
“The assemblymen are going to bite and tear into you, though.”
“Those assemblymen, daring to mess with me?”
Park Haesu eventually threw his hands up in defeat. Come to think of it, this wasn’t something he needed to worry about. The real bomb wasn’t the assemblymen; it was the Cheon Yooshin standing right in front of him. If anything, he should have been worrying about the assemblymen now.
‘Why? Why am I doing this?’
Park Haesu, having finally given up, spoke.
“The hearing is scheduled to be held in exactly fifteen days, on the 19th.”
“Ah, tell me again when the time comes. I’ll probably forget.”
Yooshin said he would forget as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And just like that, Cheon Yooshin’s attendance at the National Assembly hearing was decided.
#
Yoo Insook was peeling fruit with her daughter, Jina. Her son, who had lived as a vegetable for five years without a single physical response, had miraculously opened his eyes and awakened as a hunter.
“Life is really worth living these days.”
It felt as though all their past hardships were being rewarded with happiness. Jina popped a piece of apple into her mouth and said,
“Hehehe, I feel the same way, Mom.”
“But, has Yooshin mentioned anything about looking for a job? Have you heard anything?”
“Oh, Mom, come on. Oppa is a hunter. He’s different from regular people. Hunters make good money, you know.”
“I know that, but I’d rather he work somewhere decent than be a freelancer.”
“Oppa is super hot right now. You don’t need to worry about that, Mom. He’s probably getting scouted from everywhere. He’s probably thinking it over. He’ll end up joining somewhere.”
“Do you really think so? I’d have nothing more to wish for if our Yooshin joined a good place.”
At Jina’s words, Yoo Insook gave a bitter smile. It was a lingering regret for her. Having worked at small-to-medium enterprises—and in manufacturing, at that—she knew all too well how enviable a decent job was. But she had never been able to bring herself to talk to her son about employment. In a way, it was her own greed. Yooshin was doing well enough as it was.
And Yooshin, who had just arrived home, had heard the entire conversation from the doorway.
‘I was only thinking about myself.’
He had thought about joining a guild, but he hadn’t considered it an urgent matter. Yooshin made a call.
[Yes, Hunter.]
A familiar voice came from the other side of the line.
“I’d like to see the contract for the Hunter Management Department.”
[W-wait, are you serious?]
“Have you only lived life being scammed? Why, should I hang up?”
[N-no! You’re at home, right? I’ll be there right away!]
Park Haesu hung up the phone. He squeezed his eyes shut. Then, he shouted,
“Eureka!!!!”
“What are you doing?”
Before Park Haesu, who had just shouted ‘Eureka,’ stood Yoon Hyewon with a blunt expression.
“Wh-what? When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
“I have good news. Hunter Cheon Yooshin might just sign a contract with our Hunter Management Department.”
At those words, a flash of surprise crossed Yoon Hyewon’s face.
“Really? Why would he? There’s nothing to see in this failing Hunter Management Department.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“It’s the truth. Regular people like us stick around because we have nothing else to do, but hunters get scouted everywhere, so why would he...”
“Anyway, prepare the contract again. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”
“Sigh... Understood.”
In less than five minutes, Yoon Hyewon brought the contract, and Park Haesu, having scanned it quickly, nodded.
“It’s well-written. Let’s head out quickly.”
“Understood. I’ll get the car ready.”
And just like that, they arrived at Cheon Yooshin’s house in an instant and presented the contract.
“Oh... the terms seem even better than last time,” Cheon Yooshin said as he read the contract.
“What is it? What is it? Let me see too.”
Yoo Insook and Cheon Jina were suddenly sitting on either side of Cheon Yooshin.
“Whoa... amazing. Are you really signing with these terms?”
Park Haesu smiled at the amazed Cheon Jina before turning his gaze back to Cheon Yooshin.
“Naturally, the terms have to be better than before. Since you closed the Sudden Gate, your value has changed completely, Mr. Yooshin.”
Park Haesu, who had sipped the bottled water placed in front of him, continued.
“The annual salary is 500 million won to start. You will be the highest-paid hunter in our Hunter Management Department.”
Money wasn’t really important anymore. It wasn’t even a high-level gate; just by stirring up a cleared gate and coming out, he could easily earn ten million won. The reason Yooshin chose the Hunter Management Department was something else.
“From now on, private guilds will no longer be able to clear uncleared gates. Because the priority rights for those will return to you, Mr. Cheon Yooshin.”
It was precisely because of the priority rights for uncleared gates.
“Oh! And from now on, housing for hunters staying at our Hunter Management Department will also be provided free of charge.”
“Housing?”
“Yes. It’s a top-tier villa built in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu. It also boasts the best view of the river.”
“Whoa...” Cheon Jina’s mouth hung open. Yoon Hyewon added an explanation.
“It’s a 50-pyeong villa. There are three bathrooms, and a cleaner will manage the house every day. Utility fees and other management costs are also all free. You just have to live there.”
“Amazing... Oppa! What are you doing! Sign it quickly. Sign it.”
“Ah, wait a second...”
Yooshin couldn’t finish his sentence. The contract was thrust in front of him. And the owner of those hands was none other than his mother, Yoo Insook.
“It’s not polite to keep busy people waiting for too long, Yooshin.”
Uh, Mom? You said not to sell your son for money. You said not to go into those scary gates!
At her son’s gaze, his mother said as if making an excuse,
“Th-they said they’d provide a house. They said utilities were free, too.”
“……”
It was a moment where embarrassment surfaced on his mother’s face.
#
Yoo Insook opened the door with nervous eyes. Excitement and anticipation bubbled up in her heart like lava.
‘I never thought I’d be moving into an apartment again.’
It was all the more so because they had lived tightly ever since Yooshin’s father went to heaven. But now, they were moving into a better house than before.
As the door opened, a sparkling marble floor and atmospheric lighting welcomed Yoo Insook.
“Whoa, Mom! This is amazing.”
Just as Cheon Jina was making a fuss, the interior she saw in front of her was truly like a palace. The long-stretching hallway, which was no exaggeration to say was the combined length of the house they were currently living in, made her chest, which had been blocked all this time, feel wide open. Jina, looking excited, ran down the hallway and turned the corner, and then she vanished. Then, a cheer of joy erupted from far away.
“Whoa! Mom! Come here quickly. This place is really big. The TV is huge, too.”
Yoo Insook, too, could feel and see it as she entered the living room. Along with the cool breeze brushing against her face, warm sunlight was streaming in through the wide-open windows. A satisfied smile naturally appeared on Yoo Insook’s face as she checked the kitchen and all the rooms following the living room. It was like a dream. She had never even dreamed that she would be living in a place like this.
Cheon Yooshin entered late while talking to Park Haesu. Even while looking at the well-decorated interior, Yooshin was indifferent. He had already seen enough splendor in Karzen; he was as used to it as he could be.
“Mom, is it okay? Isn’t it a bit small?”
“Huh? You child, what do you mean small? This is a palace. Really.”
Yooshin laughed as he watched his mother’s somewhat flushed expression.
“Is that so? As long as you’re happy, Mom.”
Yooshin turned his gaze to Jina, who was jumping around. The biggest change was indeed Jina. When Yooshin first returned here, Jina was heavy in a way that didn’t fit her age. It was as if she were carrying the weight of the world all by herself, but as time passed, she was finding the cheerfulness of her own age.
‘Yeah, live like that. Don’t worry, and live doing everything you want to do.’
Yooshin smiled as he looked back and forth between his mother and Jina. That was when it happened. Yooshin’s phone vibrated violently.
“Hello.”
[Mr. Cheon Yooshin, this is Team Leader Park Haesu.]
“And?”
[An uncleared D-class gate has appeared.]
The time to earn his keep had arrived quickly.
#
The place where the uncleared gate appeared was next to Paju City Hall. Arriving at the gate, Yooshin could see them. The soldiers standing guard with barricades and iron fences around the gate, which was shimmering in red. Even the people peeking their heads out from nearby buildings to watch.
“Welcome, Mr. Cheon Yooshin.”
Park Haesu approached quickly upon spotting Cheon Yooshin.
“But there are quite a lot of people here?”
Yooshin pointed at the gate with his chin. Around it were people clad from head to toe in shining weapons and armor, as if to prove that they were hunters.
“Yes, they are hunters from our department. It’s Team 2.”
“Team 2?”
Park Haesu nodded.
“Yes. I am the Team Leader of Team 1, and the people over there are the Team 2 attack squad. And the people behind them are the staff who will take on the roles of porters and provide meals for the attack squad while we clear it.”
“But why?”
Yooshin was asking. He was asking why there were other hunters when he alone was enough to clear a D-class gate. Park Haesu, who was now at the stage of reading Cheon Yooshin’s inner thoughts, gave a bitter smile.
“Please show them. Show them your strength, Mr. Cheon Yooshin.”
Yooshin nodded slightly. “Well, I understand.”
He had realized from Park Haesu’s tone that there was some underlying circumstance he hadn’t mentioned. As he approached them, a man in his mid-30s stared at Cheon Yooshin. Kim Yunho walked over to Yooshin and offered a handshake.
“You’re Cheon Yooshin, right? I’m Kim Yunho, the attack squad leader of Team 2.”
“Hello.”
“I saw your performance at the Sudden Gate well. But for this uncleared gate, you must not act alone like a lone wolf. Since we are acting as a group, please follow my command.”
What is this guy saying? Is he seriously trying to establish military discipline right now?
It wasn’t Yooshin’s misunderstanding. When he looked at Park Haesu, he avoided his gaze. ‘Is the position of attack squad leader higher than the team leader?’
When Yooshin said nothing, Kim Yunho, thinking he had accepted his words, smiled.
“Team Leader, our team leader hasn’t arrived yet. We’re going to start clearing it right away, so please pass that on.”
“Understood. However, I hope you don’t forget that you must prioritize safety even after entering.”
Park Haesu said somewhat stiffly while nodding. And so, one or two people jumped into the gate. Yooshin did the same.