Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: 7. The Ring of Connections (3)
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Kang San could hardly conceal his look of admiration.
Even with his considerable expectations for a VVIP hospital room, the sight unfolding before him surpassed them all.
A space dedicated to just one patient.
In a room spanning dozens of square meters, everything from medical equipment to a TV, computer, kitchen, and even a reception area was provided. It was so luxurious that Kang San almost mistook it for a hotel.
"……Kang San-ssi?"
"Ah."
He snapped back to reality a beat too late.
In the center of the room sat Yeon Woo-bin on what was clearly a high-end hospital bed, looking perfectly at ease.
Kang San spoke up.
"I've come for the raid settlement. That said, I heard you've been hospitalized for a few days now. How are you feeling?"
"……Haha. It's a bit over the top, isn't it? It was supposed to just be a same-day discharge, but things ended up like this somehow."
It was a complicated situation to explain.
She couldn't bring herself to say that her father's overzealous love had turned a case of exhaustion into a full battery of precise checkups.
"If it's about the settlement, that's fine. As I said at the start of the raid, I don't think I deserve my full share. You can settle up without me, and I won't have any complaints."
"We can't do that."
"I'm really okay……."
"No."
He cut her off.
He knew what she was thinking.
In truth, during the early and mid-stages of the raid, Kang San had felt she didn't merit a settlement share. But he couldn't undervalue her late-game heroics based on that initial slump. Perhaps her chaebol background lent weight to her decision. With the wealth to occupy a VVIP room in a place like this, her cut from the settlement probably meant nothing to her anyway.
But.
"When we fell into that ant nest. Without Yeon Woo-bin's performance, we never would have made it out alive. This isn't about personal feelings or favoritism—it's because, as a full member of the raid party, you absolutely deserve compensation. You acknowledged me as leader, right? Then trust the leader's judgment on the settlement and just accept it."
"Got it."
She nodded.
With him putting it that way.
Refusing would be rude.
Kang San distributed her share, confirmed she was doing well, and prepared to leave the room.
That was that.
Nothing more.
They'd raided together once, and sure, she was a chaebol heiress, but there was no reason to force a deeper connection.
"W-Wait—!"
It was a desperate cry.
It stopped Kang San in his tracks.
When he turned back with a puzzled expression, Yeon Woo-bin hesitated before forcing the words out.
"……Could we maybe party up again sometime?"
Kang San stared at her.
Next time.
Nice words.
They meant their connection wasn't bad—and that they'd both live to see more days.
Yeon Woo-bin hurriedly added,
"N-Not just casually! I'd work harder to actually help the party……."
"Sure."
Kang San smiled.
"Just fix that glass cannon issue, and you're welcome anytime."
After Yeon Woo-bin.
Kang San wrapped things up with Jo Han-byeol too.
During the settlement for his share, Jo Han-byeol chattered away nonstop.
"I'll hit you up next time too, so you better say yes. I'm serious! If you ignore me, I'll keep calling until you pick up!"
Yeon Woo-bin was one thing.
Jo Han-byeol was another.
But Kang San felt more at ease now.
He gave them a positive response.
It wasn't so much that they desperately wanted him—objectively, in an E-Rank party, Yeon Woo-bin and Jo Han-byeol were appealing picks. A D-Rank mage capable of C-Rank-level explosive spells. And an E-Rank archer who delivered exactly the ranged DPS you'd hope for.
Not a bad setup for future raids.
Especially for a tanker like Kang San—reliable DPS contacts were always welcome.
Next up.
Jeong Chan-woo's turn.
Normally, settlements happened the same day the raid ended, but given his condition, he'd needed time to recover.
Kang San met Jeong Chan-woo.
But even after the settlement, he grabbed Kang San's ankle.
"Do you have a management agency already?"
"Nope."
"Oh, really?"
Jeong Chan-woo's face lit up.
Kang San had no idea.
Just like Yeon Woo-bin and Jo Han-byeol, he'd been eagerly awaiting this chance to connect with Kang San.
"Actually, I'm with Heavenly Firmament. If you're interested, I could recommend you personally. Sure, bringing in an E-Rank would be unusual, but with your skills, it wouldn't be an issue at all."
A tempting offer.
Heavenly Firmament.
Korea's premier mega-agency.
Even skilled hunters couldn't always get in, yet here was Jeong Chan-woo offering a direct Heavenly Firmament recommendation. No reason to turn it down. Logically, you had to accept. Their systematic support and privileges would turbocharge Kang San's growth.
The problem was.
'If I'm under agency management, how do I explain the constant disasters?'
A dilemma.
Azmun's Trials were a unique situation too awkward to disclose to the Hunter Management Bureau—or any agency.
"I'm good."
"Then I'll recommend you right…… Huh?"
His eyes went wide.
A rejection.
Completely unexpected.
"For real? You seriously don't want to join Heavenly Firmament?"
"It's not that—it's just too soon for me to join anywhere. I really appreciate the offer."
"Ah……."
No matter how good the proposal.
If the other side wasn't interested, it was meaningless.
In the end, like the others, they parted ways promising future hunts.
Jeong Chan-woo too.
A solid talent worth keeping in mind.
Right after parting with Kang San.
Jeong Chan-woo met someone.
His assigned manager.
Even among Heavenly Firmament's veterans, Shin Jeong-geun couldn't hide his shock at Jeong Chan-woo's words.
"……So you're saying we should recruit an E-Rank tanker to Heavenly Firmament? And one who straight-up doesn't want to join?"
"He's seriously amazing. Sure, the E-Rank label might undersell Kang San-ssi, but he's outperformed every hunter I've raided with so far."
"From an F-Rank background? He only just ranked up to E."
"That's what makes it a steal. At E-Rank with that skill, it's our chance to snag him cheap. And more than that! I don't know about his F-Rank days, but the Kang San-ssi I saw has the potential to skyrocket right now. Manager, you don't trust me? It's me, Jeong Chan-woo."
'……I don't trust you because you're Jeong Chan-woo.'
Shin Jeong-geun swallowed the words rising in his throat.
Jeong Chan-woo.
Only 20 years old, an E-Rank hunter with a veteran manager assigned—because his parents were Heavenly Firmament execs. This wasn't the first time. The kid, barely out of diapers, always tried dragging his contacts into the agency like he had real pull.
Clear overreach.
His twitching lips itched to chew him out, but Shin Jeong-geun didn't want the hassle of beefing with Jeong Chan-woo.
'No matter how you slice it, this recruitment makes zero sense.'
Kang San.
He'd thoroughly reviewed his profile when Jeong Chan-woo formed his party.
Recently promoted to E-Rank with overwhelming scores, sure—but his F-Rank arrow sponge days proved his limits. Hunters don't go from rags to riches like that. No wonder first awakenings define everything. The kicker? Kang San had already rejected Heavenly Firmament. Jeong Chan-woo insisted a formal offer might sway him since he himself couldn't convince the guy.
Headache.
This was Korea's problem.
Having to rein in these spoiled brats while their parents enabled them.
Shin Jeong-geun sighed in resignation.
"……I can't promise we'll pursue it, but I'll float it internally. Just this once. Heavenly Firmament has a reputation to uphold—no more recommending C-Rank or below from now on."
"Aw, come on. If they've got skills, rank shouldn't matter. What if we miss out?"
"……."
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Shin Jeong-geun was done talking to Jeong Chan-woo.
The next day.
Heavenly Firmament held its regular meeting.
Discussing recruitment plans for promising hunters, one manager brought up his research materials.
"First up is Hwang Dong-woo, active in Incheon. B-Rank, nickname Mad Cow. A rare tanker who's ace at both offense and defense. As you know, top tankers are scarce, so we need to move fast. Other agencies are circling since his fresh B-Rank promo. No playing coy—our first offer has to seal the deal."
"Hwang Dong-woo is a must-recruit."
"Conditions are the issue, but no one's arguing he fits Heavenly Firmament."
After presenting the target.
Other managers chimed in with opinions.
Unanimous approval for Hwang Dong-woo—just the start. The manager continued with the second and third candidates.
This was Heavenly Firmament Team 5.
Meeting-vetted talents went upstairs.
Once approved, they got the official Heavenly Firmament offer.
Pass.
Fail.
On hold.
The lively meeting slammed to a halt at Shin Jeong-geun's report.
"……That's why I recommended him."
He felt awkward.
With the team lead and members watching.
Not a slam-dunk like Hwang Dong-woo, but pushing an E-Rank hunter? Embarrassing. So he'd reluctantly added it to the list as a "Jeong Chan-woo recommendation." Everyone got it now.
One manager spoke up.
"……Even so, E-Rank is a stretch. If we can't separate personal from professional, even Heavenly Firmament—Korea's top agency—could see its rep tank in a heartbeat. You know how cutthroat this industry is."
"This is too much. What gives Jeong Chan-woo the right? Kid's just an exec's son—no authority or expertise. Let's skip this."
"Agreed."
Consensus formed.
Rejected.
The right call.
But then, someone poring over Kang San's file looked up.
"Huh? Min-hyuk-ah. Isn't this the guy you tried recruiting before?"
The man's identity.
Former Castle Management team lead, recently folded into Team 5 via merger.
His gaze shifted to the back of the conference room.
"……Pardon?"
The man called Min-hyuk.
Jung Min-hyuk—once Kang San's friend—showed a flustered expression at the unforeseen twist.