Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: The Guardian Guild
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"Why here...?"
"If you want to hunt monsters freely, isn't a guild the right place?"
It was true that a guild offered more freedom than the Suppression Corps.
But not all guilds were created equal.
In larger guilds, hunters who handled combat were treated well and used exclusively for fighting, but in smaller ones, it was common for hunters to be tasked with other duties as well.
That was why Do-jae was worried about this unheard-of guild named Guardian.
"Even so, the freedom varies from guild to guild. Besides, I'm with the Suppression Corps. Is it even possible for me to join a guild?"
Kim Hwan-soo waved his hand as if to say not to worry.
He then made a call, and soon, someone opened the door and entered.
"You called for me?"
"Ah, Adjutant. Tell Jeong Hoon-hyeon I'll contact him."
"Yes, sir."
After saying that, Kim Hwan-soo sat back down and began to explain.
"The Suppression Corps runs its own businesses. From logistics and tourism to medical care and welfare, we utilize non-awakened individuals in various sectors. Guilds are no different. The Suppression Corps also operates guilds to clear dungeons."
"I'm aware of that. Places like the Seorak Guild are under the Suppression Corps' command, aren't they? But this Guardian Guild doesn't have the Suppression Corps mark."
Do-jae said, pointing to the business card.
Guilds run by the Suppression Corps didn't have their own guild marks; instead, they used the mark of the Suppression Corps.
That was why even a large guild like the Seorak Guild couldn't be registered with the Hunter Association or included in the guild rankings.
And yet, the Guardian Guild on this business card was proudly displaying its own mark.
"The Suppression Corps just absorbed a small, pre-existing guild. Don't look at it like that. It's not involved in anything illegal. It'll be officially registered under the Suppression Corps soon, so don't worry."
"Understood."
"And you, Squad Leader Lee, will be going in as the Vice Guild Master. That should give you more freedom to move around. Your status will also change from Suppression Corps to civilian. Of course, I'll let Jeong Hoon-hyeon know about you."
"Thank you. But what am I supposed to do at this guild?"
This was the important question.
If he was going to be allowed to act freely anyway, what was the point of joining a guild?
And if it wasn't a guild involved in illegal activities, it wasn't like Kim Hwan-soo could use it for personal gain.
The fact that he knew the Guild Master, Jeong Hoon-hyeon, suggested there was something more to it, but Do-jae couldn't help but think that getting involved with a small, unknown guild like this would be a loss for Kim Hwan-soo.
"You don't have to do anything. However, if you happen to grow fond of the guild later on, I'd like you to do me one favor then."
"Understood. If that happens."
"Good. You may go. Believe it or not, this is quite a busy position."
Do-jae saluted Kim Hwan-soo and left the Chief of Staff's office.
Outside, Kim Hwan-soo's adjutant glared at him, but it couldn't be helped.
Even if Kim Hwan-soo was his former commander and they knew each other, showing up unannounced like this wasn't exactly proper.
Especially now that he was officially part of the Suppression Corps.
"My apologies."
Do-jae offered a clean apology before heading out.
***
"Ah, is that so? No, I'm the one who should be sorry. When do you think you'll be back?"
Do-jae was on the phone.
If anyone had been close enough to listen, they would have known he was talking to a woman.
"I understand. Of course. In fact, it's a relief for me. I'm just grateful that you're taking such good care of him."
Do-jae was even smiling brightly.
Who on earth was he talking to?
"Thank you, Eun-hee."
That's right.
The person Do-jae was talking to was Eun-hee.
He had wanted to pick up his brother, Do-young, whom he had left in Eun-hee's care as soon as he returned to Korea, but Kim Soo-kyung's request had forced him to head straight to the MID headquarters.
It ended up being too late, so he was only now getting in touch, only to find out that Eun-hee was on a business trip.
He had planned to pick Do-young up himself, but Eun-hee asked if it would be okay for him to stay a while longer, explaining that they had transferred him to a school near her home and that her parents adored him.
For Do-jae, it was better for Do-young to be in a house with adults around, and he could just visit whenever he had time, so it was actually a turn for the better.
"Phew. That's one less thing to worry about with Do-young. I should send a gift to Eun-hee's parents."
Do-jae let out a sigh of relief and entered a building.
Flicker—.
Flicker—flicker—.
It was an extremely old building.
The flickering fluorescent light illuminating the staircase gave off an eerie feeling.
Reaching the second floor of the two-story building, Do-jae opened a shabby door.
At least it was a guild; a sign with the name 'Guardian' was posted vertically next to the door.
"Welcome!"
Instead of feeling pleased by the cheerful greeting, Do-jae was just dumbfounded.
This wasn't a neighborhood supermarket. For a guild managed by the Suppression Corps to greet someone with "Welcome!" was absurd.
"Let's see... what kind of job you bringin' us? We do everything 'cept what we can't, so spit it out."
The person who had greeted Do-jae was Jeong Hoon-hyeon.
He had the look of a punk, with a slender build, long hair slicked back, a red turtleneck, and a conspicuously shiny gold watch hanging loosely on his wrist.
"Are you Jeong Hoon-hyeon?"
"That's me. You know me?"
Do-jae slowly looked around the room.
There was mold growing in spots on the walls, and the space consisted of just a few desks.
There was a room in the back, but the blinds were drawn, making it all the more cryptic.
"My name is Lee Do-jae. I'll be working with you starting today."
Do-jae gave Jeong Hoon-hyeon a slight bow.
His first impression wasn't great, but they would be seeing each other often from now on.
However, instead of returning the greeting, Jeong Hoon-hyeon simply tucked his hands into his pants pockets, cocked his head, and stared intently at Do-jae's face.
"Aha? So you're the guest from Suppression Corps headquarters?"
Jeong Hoon-hyeon had come to work after receiving a call from Kim Hwan-soo's adjutant that morning.
Normally, he would have shown up late after a round of day drinking, but he had come in early because headquarters was sending someone over.
The adjutant hadn't explained who it was before hanging up, but he had a habit of being dismissive, so Jeong Hoon-hyeon hadn't thought much of it.
"Yes, I came straight from headquarters."
"Uh-huh, right, right. There's an empty spot over there. Take a seat."
Jeong Hoon-hyeon pointed to an old, roughly cleared desk.
He had gotten his hopes up when the adjutant himself called, thinking headquarters was finally paying attention to his guild, but seeing Do-jae had completely deflated him.
The guy wasn't particularly big and looked young, as if they had just sent over some regular soldier from the Suppression Corps.
To him, a C-rank hunter, Do-jae looked like a D-rank at best.
"I've got work to do, so don't look for me. If a client comes, just handle it."
Jeong Hoon-hyeon promptly disappeared into the back room.
Do-jae found his behavior absurd but didn't pay it much mind.
After all, he wasn't here to do anything in particular.
"Hoo-hoo!"
Do-jae blew the dust off the desk and gave up on sitting down.
The chair, like the desk, was caked in grime.
So, he decided to look at the other desks instead.
Besides his own, there was one other empty desk and three more, all with belongings on them, which meant there were at least three other guild members.
However, the other desks were just as dusty, enough to make him cough.
Screech—.
Do-jae threw open every window in the office.
As sunlight streamed in, countless dust motes became visible, hanging thick in the air.
Sweep—sweep—.
Do-jae found a broom worn down to a stump and began to sweep the floor.
Guild or not, he couldn't stand being in this dust pit.
"Cough, next time. Cough, a mask. Cough, cough."
Do-jae made a mental note to always keep a mask in his subspace as he swept up the trash.
"Wind."
He cast a basic wind spell, and a gentle breeze blew through the room, circling once before exiting through the windows.
The air cleared somewhat, making it much easier to breathe.
"Aqua."
Next, he created water and wet the floor.
The glob of water, moving at his fingertips, absorbed the remaining dust and filth, instantly turning into black sludge.
"The bathroom is outside, too..."
Do-jae went out to the stairs and poured all the dirty water into the bathroom.
He then used the 'Aqua' spell one more time to wash down the stairs, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction as he returned to the office.
"It was a quick job, but it's much better. I should buy a vacuum cleaner for this place."
For the final touch, Do-jae removed the cushion from his chair and beat it out the window, finishing his cleaning.
He sat down for a moment to rest when he heard several people coming up the stairs.
"Huh? Why are the stairs so clean?"
"How should I know? Maybe he hired a cleaning service."
"Bullshit. You think our Guild Master would spend money on something like that?"
There were three voices, and soon, they opened the office door and walked in.
Simultaneously, Do-jae couldn't help but grimace.
Clumps of dirt from their three pairs of shoes fell onto the clean floor, getting stickily pressed in.
"Who're you?"
"What's with that look on his face?"
"Idiot, he could be a client."
Do-jae realized these were the members of the Guardian Guild.
A sigh escaped him automatically.
Even without using the Eye of the Golem, he could tell that not a single one of them came close to the level of the members of the Chilgok Unit's 3rd Squad.
"He's sighing."
"I saw it too."
"Shit. Hey, pal. Who are you?"
The men tried to intimidate him, each posturing in their own way.
Do-jae figured he wouldn't be seeing them much anyway and decided to ignore them, but one of them drew a dagger from his hip.
"Hey, pal. I asked who you are. When someone asks you a question, you answer."
"I'm from headquarters. Why don't you put that dagger away before we talk?"
"Son of a bitch, what am I supposed to know from 'headquarters'? You wanna die?"
"Phew... where did he even find these guys... Why did the Commander tell me to join a guild like this?"
"The fuck are you mumbling? Hey, you gonna wipe that look off your face? I'll fucking kill..."
As the man with the dagger raised his other arm to strike, Do-jae swiftly snatched it.
In one motion, he twisted the man's arm behind his back, pressing him down, while his other hand relieved him of the dagger.
"Aaargh! What... what the fuck!"
"Are you guys even hunters? What kind of hunter draws a weapon so carelessly?"
Do-jae threw the dagger between the faces of the other two men.
Thwack—!
The concrete wall cracked as the dagger embedded itself.
Startled, the two looked at each other, then immediately dropped to their knees.
"Heh heh... our mistake..."
"We're sorry. We didn't recognize our senior!"
Do-jae looked at them and spoke in a soft voice.
"You three, go over there, face the wall, and put your hands up."