Chapter 486: Trouble (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 486: Trouble (3)
An Omen Phenomenon.
Park Gi-tae had been there at the very moment the disaster was born.
Convinced it was a threat no single individual could ever handle, he had swallowed his rising guilt and torn a teleport scroll. It was the logical choice. Roman Dmitry and Kang Min-ho, who had remained behind, were surely destined to die. At the time, he believed the only thing he could do for them was avenge their deaths by wiping out the ants.
And yet...
They were alive.
When he saw Roman Dmitry again, Park Gi-tae's heart dropped.
He survived that hell?
Others wouldn't understand.
Those who hadn't experienced it firsthand would judge the feat purely by the numbers, but the reality Park Gi-tae had witnessed was utterly hopeless. Ant eggs had filled his entire field of vision. Ants had swarmed from holes bored in every direction. Geographically, it was a death trap for a small group facing a massive horde. Furthermore, for humans who relied on sight, the pitch-black underground was a fatal handicap that couldn't be quantified by mere statistics.
It made no sense.
Not only had he fought his way out of that hell and survived, but he had returned looking completely unscathed.
Just what kind of person is Roman Dmitry?
It started then.
The questions began to pile up.
Rather than satisfying his curiosity with the simple assumption that Roman might be an S-Rank Hunter, he began to look into the man himself. No matter how much he investigated, no unusual history came to light. His very first recorded appearance was when he arrived in Incheon with Kang Min-ho, and then he suddenly made his presence known during the Ant Cave incident.
Meanwhile, Kim Jun-hyeok made the Red Moon incident public.
Stepping forward as a witness, the Mayor revealed that the one who destroyed Red Moon was none other than Roman Dmitry.
The details of the event were shocking.
When Roman Dmitry first entered Incheon, he had issued an absolute warning for everyone to stay away from him for a month. Red Moon ignored that warning and approached him. Seeing that he wasn't cooperative, they tried their usual strategy of applying pressure to force his compliance. Up to that point, it was a common occurrence in Incheon, but Roman Dmitry's response was entirely unprecedented.
He had clearly warned them.
He told them they wouldn't know what would happen if they crossed the line.
He eliminated Go Sang-ho, who had been uttering threats on the spot, and then paid a personal visit to Red Moon to completely eradicate the root of the problem.
The sequence of events gave him goosebumps.
He felt like he finally understood exactly what kind of person Roman Dmitry was.
It's clear. Roman Dmitry is a man whose words carry absolute weight. He wiped out Red Moon for violating his one-month deadline, and he began his activities in earnest the exact moment that month ended. He draws a sharp line between friend and foe, leaving no room for half-measures. It was the same during the Ant Cave Subjugation. Even though it was clearly a threat too massive for a single individual to handle, Roman Dmitry only tasked me with guiding him and told me it didn't matter if I ran away. I thought his claim that he would handle the rest himself was absurd at first.
It was the exact same pattern.
In both the Red Moon incident and the Ant Cave incident, Roman Dmitry turned his words into reality.
Perhaps, as his name suggested, he truly was the Inheritor of Dmitry.
Knowing that the Mayor of Incheon was a wise man, Park Gi-tae realized that an alliance between Roman Dmitry and Kim Jun-hyeok could bring massive changes to the city. In that case, was leaving Incheon really the right choice? As he agonized over this question again and again, a suspicious detail caught his eye.
And that was none other than...
...the existence of Kang Min-ho.
* * *
Kang Min-ho was a highly skilled individual.
At least, that was how he had appeared to Park Gi-tae. But when he actually looked into the man's past, the accounts he heard completely contradicted his expectations.
"Kang Min-ho slaughtered dozens of Soldier Ants by himself? No way, that's impossible. You must be mistaken. The Kang Min-ho I know is absolutely not that skilled. I heard he awakened late in life and barely managed to get an E-Rank. He might be able to handle a single Soldier Ant, but how could he face dozens of them?"
"...Kang Min-ho? He was a decent guy. We teamed up a few times, but he wasn't particularly outstanding, so we parted ways quickly. You know how common people like him are in this industry."
"Mr. Kang Min-ho barely passed his E-Rank promotion exam. If he really has the skill to handle dozens of D-Rank Soldier Ants like you say, Mr. Park Gi-tae, then it means his performance back then was a lie. The problem is, there's no reason for him to hide his strength and keep his rank so low."
Everyone said the same thing.
Kang Min-ho was someone who belonged in E-Rank.
Yet no matter how much he thought about it, the Kang Min-ho that Park Gi-tae had witnessed possessed skills at least two ranks higher than that.
Could he have been hiding his rank all this time? No, that makes no sense. Just as the examiner said, he had no reason to do that. Kang Min-ho lost his wife in the Great Disaster ten years ago, drifted around as an ordinary citizen, and awakened late in life. For someone whose ultimate goal has always been to enter Seoul, there's no reason he would waste time in Incheon doing E-Rank missions if he possessed that kind of strength. If that's the case, there is only one reason why a complete nobody suddenly underwent such a massive transformation. The sole anomaly that appeared in his life.
Roman Dmitry.
It was him.
It was highly likely that meeting him had elevated Kang Min-ho to his current level.
Kang Min-ho, a mere E-Rank Hunter, met Roman Dmitry and became a highly skilled fighter. Kim Jun-hyeok, the Mayor of Incheon who prioritizes the city's safety above all else, chose to sever ties with the Central Government after meeting Roman Dmitry. Every single change began with him. That is the truth I've uncovered.
It was certain.
Incheon was undergoing a cataclysmic shift.
An existence who might be an S-Rank.
Ever since Roman Dmitry appeared, absurd things had been happening here.
What if he builds a powerful force capable of opposing the Central Government?
This might be the ultimate opportunity.
High risk, high return.
Park Gi-tae realized that the hand he held might actually be the winning one.
* * *
Park Gi-tae spoke.
"...And that is all the information I've gathered. Ever since Roman Dmitry appeared, massive changes have been taking place in Incheon. Let's try thinking outside the box. If all the other guilds leave Incheon due to pressure from the Central Government, Cheongsan—as the sole remaining guild—can forge a close relationship with the Incheon Government and exert immense influence here. Of course, this is based on the premise that the Incheon Government survives. On that front, I want to place my trust in the existence of Roman Dmitry, as well as the wisdom of Incheon Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok, who didn't run away even during the Great Disaster six years ago."
"Ahem."
"To bet on such a hypothesis... the price Cheongsan would have to pay if it fails is far too devastating."
Several executives showed clear signs of disapproval.
While some were intrigued by Park Gi-tae's words, they all agreed that it was a highly dangerous gamble.
But Park Gi-tae did not back down.
"That's why they call it high risk, high return. If we take a big risk, it might yield an equally massive reward. Frankly speaking, where would we even go if we left Incheon? With a guild of Cheongsan's size, entering Seoul is a pipe dream. Even if we try to settle down in another region this late in the game, it'll be impossible to wield the kind of influence we have here. Everyone, no other regional force can easily resolve an Omen Phenomenon like the recent Ant Cave incident. Yet Roman Dmitry resolved it all by himself. We are standing at a crossroads where we can choose to align ourselves with such a man."
In all likelihood, no one besides Cheongsan would remain in Incheon.
That was the common-sense view in South Korea. But Park Gi-tae had developed a keen eye for people through his years of working as a guide.
It was a gut feeling.
The information he had gathered, and the testimonies of the people he knew... they were all telling him to bet on Roman Dmitry.
"Take the Mage in White, South Korea's only S-Rank Hunter. Those who failed to recognize his potential at first hesitated just like this and sided with the Central Government. On the other hand, what happened to those who followed the Mage in White back then? They hit the jackpot. By following him, they're now living lives that everyone envies."
He raised his voice, emphasizing his point with absolute conviction.
In truth, he could have forged his own path as an individual. However, he judged that if he had Cheongsan backing him, he could receive significant recognition for his contributions from the Incheon Government.
Gu Cheol-ho fell into deep thought.
It made sense.
But just as the phrase 'high risk, high return' implied, if things went wrong, Cheongsan could be completely ruined.
Gu Cheol-ho finally spoke.
"But you're not even a member of Cheongsan."
He had expected those words.
Facing the unspoken accusation that he would simply wash his hands of the matter if things went south, Park Gi-tae replied without hesitation.
"I'll join Cheongsan right now, so please prepare a spot for me. There will be plenty of openings anyway. The moment Cheongsan decides to remain in Incheon, not everyone will agree with the guild's decision. When they leave, won't Cheongsan need a talented individual like me?"
That day, the meeting dragged on late into the evening.
Several executives stormed out of the conference room in anger, but Gu Cheol-ho ultimately decided to remain in Incheon, officially accepting Park Gi-tae into the guild.
* * *
It went exactly as expected.
The decision to remain in Incheon sparked a massive backlash within the guild.
"The Guild Master has lost his mind."
"I mean, the Central Government is cutting ties with the Incheon Government. Where does a guild of Cheongsan's size get the guts to stay in Incheon? If we stay with Cheongsan now, we'll all end up in the gutter together."
"I'm just a mercenary anyway. If Cheongsan makes a choice like this, then as a mercenary who follows the best terms, I have no choice but to leave."
A mass exodus of guild members ensued.
Fortunately, many trusted Gu Cheol-ho, so roughly half of them stayed, but the other half declared they were leaving Cheongsan without looking back. No one could blame them. Their choice was the logical one; no one could objectively claim Gu Cheol-ho was in the right.
That wasn't all.
Cheongsan's allied guilds—those who had already fled Incheon—began contacting Gu Cheol-ho.
"Guild Leader Gu Cheol-ho. Are you really planning to stay in Incheon? Why on earth are you doing something so crazy?"
"That's practically suicide. The Central Government is not merciful. They will use any means necessary to crush any force that stands in the way of their authority. How does Cheongsan plan to survive that pressure? A day will surely come when you regret today's decision. There is a reason why everyone else is running away."
"Come to Daejeon. I'll set up a place for you."
The calls flooded in.
His insides burned with anxiety.
Gu Cheol-ho wanted to reverse his decision right then and there.
"Sigh."
Standing on the rooftop of the guild building, he looked down at the city and let out a deep sigh.
Contrary to the logical thoughts dominating his mind, he simply couldn't bring himself to leave Incheon.
Six years ago, there had been a certain romance to Incheon.
Normally, when a city was attacked, even the leadership would flee. But because Kim Jun-hyeok stood his ground until the very end, the citizens of Incheon chose to fight alongside him. Many died. But just as many were saved. Most of the casualties were combat-capable personnel, while the non-combatants hiding in the shelters were able to survive thanks to those who sacrificed themselves under Kim Jun-hyeok's leadership.
He still remembered it vividly.
Back then, people had shed tears as they expressed their profound gratitude.
They were all someone's family, and among those offering their heartfelt thanks had been Gu Cheol-ho's own elderly mother.
She was gone now.
It had been a natural death, a true rarity in these turbulent times.
On the day he laid his mother to rest, he had felt deeply grateful to Kim Jun-hyeok for allowing her to pass away in peace.
In truth, if he hadn't wanted to stay, he never would have been swayed by Park Gi-tae's persuasion.
Because his heart yearned for Incheon, Gu Cheol-ho had wavered even when several executives pointed out how absurd Park Gi-tae's claims were. He didn't want to leave his city. While it was true he had started a mercenary guild to make money, beneath that ambition lay a deep sense of pride in helping people.
That was why he stayed.
Because someone had to stay in Incheon.
He wanted to stand with them.
He refused to abandon Incheon Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok.
Though he usually tried to refrain from smoking—a bad habit for a Hunter's lungs—Gu Cheol-ho ultimately placed a cigarette between his lips and took a deep drag.
Just then...
"Guild Leader! We have breaking news!"
A guild member practically burst onto the rooftop.
As Gu Cheol-ho looked at him with a questioning gaze, the guild member spoke urgently.
"Kang Min-ho, the guy Park Gi-tae mentioned... he just succeeded in a two-rank promotion!"
"What?"
Drop.
The cigarette slipped from his lips.
A two-rank promotion.
And years after his initial awakening, at that.
It was something that utterly defied all common sense.