Korea's Strongest: Kang Sung-gi (20)
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"Aigoo~~ Hunter! It's an honor to finally meet you! It would've been even better if we'd met in Seoul, but given the circumstances, what a shame."
I didn't know the man, but I recognized him at first glance. Seeing him in person jogged my memory.
He was Han Cheol-gwan, the Hunter Bureau minister who occasionally appeared on TV.
He had a clean-cut look and was surprisingly young for a minister—probably in his early forties, though he looked like he was in his thirties. He'd awakened as an A-rank hunter during his civil service days but chose to stay in administration rather than become a full-time hunter. His interview about it had gone viral.
Hunters got all the fame, but the civil servants who worked in their world were largely unknown. Han Cheol-gwan became a celebrity for sticking with his job after awakening as an A-rank and for his handsome, likable face. That media exposure made him the go-to image for Hunter Bureau staff, landing him the minister position as a bold appointment when the new government took over.
I'd deliberately avoided paying much attention to hunters, so I knew even less about the bureaucrats. But now, face-to-face, he gave off a slimy vibe that clashed with his public image.
His smile looked forced, eyes crinkled into half-moons but hiding who-knows-what. And there was this uneasy undercurrent I couldn't quite pin down.
He was a hunter too, so he had mana. I was hypersensitive to others' mana—mine was vast, and unlike most hunters, I was wide open to it. Embracing all those complex, varied mana flows was part of my abilities.
He was smiling, but inside, he was the opposite. He was shoving down deep discomfort.
The reason was obvious. I'd given him short notice before showing up here. A minister had his pride, after all. I was a newbie hunter who'd just awakened, and I'd fired off a text then waltzed into Hongcheon the next day. That must've bruised his ego.
But that alone didn't explain why he'd rushed here to wait for me and the other S-rank hunters.
People in the hunter world were arrogant by nature. Or rather, they groveled endlessly before anyone stronger.
The Hunter Bureau minister was top dog in admin, but no match for S-ranks. Even the president couldn't touch them.
No matter how offended he was, ducking out would've been the smart play. Han Cheol-gwan had climbed from the bottom—he knew better.
Then I spotted the hulking figure slipping out from behind him, confirming my suspicions.
Kang Dong-gwon. Two days ago, he'd approached me and spilled everything—their big scheme, the conspiracy bubbling under the surface.
Dungeon privatization. If it happened, a select few hunters would gain immense power and wealth, passed down for generations. Pricing mana crystals and byproducts, even controlling raid permits—it'd be like owning a bottomless money fountain, far beyond real estate profits.
Hunters who owned dungeons would be untouchable, even by the government. They'd hold the lifeline of the nation in their hands.
Long-term, all dungeon ownership would consolidate with S-rank hunters and their lackeys.
The minister's post had a term limit. Han Cheol-gwan was young, with more years ahead than behind. His endgame was obvious.
Now that I'd disrupted it, no wonder he was pissed and squirming.
Kang Dong-gwon looked grim, unlike two days ago. He ground his teeth, let out a long sigh, and said to me,
"I thought you were a good kid, but you've really let me down."
"Tsk."
He made an irritated click, then flipped his expression like a switch.
"Of course, the young and hot-blooded make mistakes. Youth leads to misjudgments sometimes. I get it—I was the same. Let's head inside and talk it over slowly. Turns out I left out a lot when I spoke to you. I must've been too drunk that day. We've coordinated everything with the minister, so you won't be disappointed. Ladies, please join us for lunch and chat."
Kang Dong-gwon laughed "haha" and grabbed my arm. The subtle grip strength was annoying.
"Let go."
"Huh?"
He turned to me with a "heh heh," still trying to pull me along. I seized his wrist with my free right hand.
Crack.
Bones snapped, and Kang Dong-gwon's face twisted.
"Gahhh!"
He yelped in shock, releasing my arm.
"Wh-what the...?"
Han Cheol-gwan went pale. He was an A-rank hunter, but with scant combat experience. The moment force came into play, he was a mouse before a cat—or an ant staring up at a kid's shoe sole.
"Pl-please, don't be angry. Let's resolve this through talk..."
"Gaaaah!"
Kang Dong-gwon kept clutching his wrist, screaming. For an S-rank, a broken bone was nothing—it'd heal in seconds. But I'd done more than that.
Black veins bulged around his wrist. While grabbing his arm, I'd pricked his skin with my nail and injected poison.
It synergized with the toxin I'd slipped him two days ago. I hadn't planned that far ahead then, but it was paying off now.
The two poisons met inside him, unleashing agony. Veins swelled across his skin. Soon, black blood oozed from his eyes, nose, and ears.
"Grk... graaaah..."
His eyes rolled back. Han Cheol-gwan froze.
I told him, "I said we're here to raid the dungeon today."
"Pardon? But..."
"Minister, aren't you a busy man? If you have spare time, use it to protect the people's lives and property. That's what everyone thinks, right? Unlike those corrupt officials, you're a man who devotes himself to the greater good."
"Th-that's true, but..."
Even rigid with fear, Han Cheol-gwan wouldn't back down easily. It showed how vital dungeon privatization was to him—an interest he couldn't abandon.
He reminded me of Kang Mancheol, who'd valued his gains over his life, drowning in greed. Just imagining Kang Mancheol scraping by in Thailand made my spine crawl.
I patted Han Cheol-gwan's shoulder.
"Head back. Don't waste your precious time."
"Gah!"
He freaked out, brushing his shoulder like it had bugs, then tore off his jacket and flung it away.
I knew why. He'd seen what happened to Kang Dong-gwon, an S-rank writhing in horror after my touch.
With the brief commotion over, I turned to my group.
"Let's head in and prep. We'll eat lunch, then enter the dungeon."
Kim Seol-bi and the others didn't look shocked. To Han Cheol-gwan and Kang Dong-gwon, I was a green S-rank. But these women knew better—the trials I'd faced in my short time, and the power I'd shown.
# Kang Dong-gwon's screams lasted about ten minutes before fading. After the chaos, an ambulance siren wailed as they loaded him up.
I hadn't used a lethal dose. He'd suffer for months, but an S-rank could endure. The poison would linger indefinitely, of course. Anytime, I could trigger it and plunge him into hellish pain again.
"Pathetic."
Kang A-jin snorted at the ambulance noise. She'd geared up with the hunter equipment Choi Yunmi had brought—flashier and brighter than her usual black attire. Love it or hate it, the "Puppy" nickname suited her cute look.
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