Debt Paid in Full
“Heh heh heh~!”
As Choi Hyun-seong came on strong, the guy laughed mockingly, as if it were ridiculous. He fetched the ledger and said,
“You seem to have some backing or something, but do you know what it means that I'm still alive in this business?”
He casually flipped open the ledger and pulled a cleaver from his belt, stabbing it into one spot. Thud!
“It means I'm that strong, heh heh heh~! Hey, boys~ This lady here has some business to attend to.”
Then, two burly men entered through the door where Hyun-seong and Choi Hyun-ji had come in, filling the room to the brim.
“W-What?”
Hyun-ji panicked, but Hyun-seong calmly examined the ledger. The cleaver was stuck right where their mother's name was written, with the final amount at the end.
“Borrowed 40 million won, but total repayment is 120 million? Tripled, huh?”
Hyun-seong could only let out a hollow laugh. Hyun-ji behind him was the same.
“I don't know how you scraped together that 40 million, but it's still way short. Get lost.”
The boss gestured with both hands for them to leave.
But Hyun-seong wasn't one to just sit there.
“I felt it when I heard the principal wasn't decreasing, but as expected.”
Old memories surfaced, nearly making Hyun-seong snap. 'There were so many bastards like this in that other world...'
For brazen scammers like the one in front of him, there was a special remedy.
“Pick one. Take 4,000 hits and the debt's waived, or 120,000 hits and die.”
“What?!”
“Boss, you gonna let these punks slide?!”
The burly men behind urged him to handle it quickly.
“Oh, right. Tough choice now. Take one hit first, then decide.”
Hyun-seong calmly flicked the boss's forehead. Crack!
The sound was too sharp for a mere knuckle rap, and the guy flew back into the sofa's backrest, embedding there. Passing out in one shot was a bonus service.
“Boss!!”
“These fuckers!!”
The men lunged to grab Hyun-ji. But.
“Let go!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As Hyun-ji swung her arms wildly, the burly men flailed like paper dolls.
“Uwaaaah!”
Thud! Boom!
The floor seemed like it might cave in from the crashing noise. As the men's groans echoed repeatedly, Hyun-seong calmly selected the Healer class and revived the boss. A soft green light flowed out, and he quickly opened his eyes.
“You fucking hunters. Report this and I'll ruin your lives! Got it?!”
“Didn't wake you for that. Pick: 3,999 more hits and debt waived, or 119,999 hits and die.”
Hyun-seong grew relentless in moments like this, showing cruelty that would make devils weep, silencing the boss like a mute with honey in his mouth. All honed from his otherworld torture skills.
“Still undecided? Take more hits and choose. If you love money that much, pick the latter to take it to hell. Got it?”
Thus began another cycle of knuckle rap and recovery.
After about a hundred relentless hits.
“Uwaaaah...”
The boss was completely out of it.
Hyun-ji, watching, suggested maybe it was enough, but Hyun-seong wasn't so lenient.
“This way you can't even choose. More might kill you, so let the employees take it.”
The guys kneeling behind, reflecting.
“Who wants to go first?”
“W-We...”
“S-Sorry. We got too greedy and lost our senses.”
They seemed genuinely remorseful, but.
“Can't decide? Both take one hit and think.”
Not the answer Hyun-seong wanted, so the process repeated. Meat slabs piled on the sofas beside the boss. Fortunately, the underlings had more sense left than the boss.
“Hunter sir, p-please spare us. We won't set foot near here again. We'll quit this and live right.”
“M-Me too. I'll cut ties with this fucker of a boss and live normally.”
No matter how dumb, they knew the world now. They could feel bone-deep that the Hyun-seong before them wasn't ordinary. Begging for life was the way.
“Hunter sir, we'll erase your debt and all others, clean slate. If you want, take all the cash in this building.”
He begged with clasped hands, offering liver and gall.
'Hyun-ji's here now, so maybe stop here.'
In the otherworld, with endless time, he'd have done all 120,000. But in fast-paced modern life, Hyun-seong had to flow with it.
“Don't need your filthy money. Debt's settled with what you've paid so far. Live right from today. What era is this to play thug?”
They'd wonder who the real thug was, but couldn't voice it. They just blankly watched the siblings leave with the bag of 40 million.
Meanwhile, Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji exited the building and got in the car.
“Swing by the bank, then home.”
“Deposit the money again?”
“No, send it to Mom.”
“What? What do we say?”
“Time to tell her. Debt's paid, so no more work. Rest at home from now on.”
At his words, she pondered seriously.
“If she says quit hunting...”
He knew her worry. With Dad's death that way, she couldn't forgive her kids doing it.
“We'll convince her. You maybe, but I got nothing else.”
“Mom's type will say she'll work.”
“That's why prepare solid. Set scheduled transfer at bank, buy tasty food, eat, then you give her a massage.”
“Yeah, got it.”
Worries lingered, but she nodded, resolved.
Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji, to confess the truth to their mother, buttered her up with uncharacteristic acts. After dinner.
Bzzz!
Mom's phone rang. Perfect timing, soothing stomachs with fruit dessert.
“Oh, what's this. Money incoming...”
Her face clouded.
“You kids this money...”
“Put it for the bank debt.”
He said calmly, spearing a strawberry with a fork.
Her reaction came after a long wait.
“Must you hunt?”
Far from expected, shocking both Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji, who stuck like gum showing daughterly virtues.
“You knew?”
“Saw you and Hyun-ji on TV earlier, photo with Seol-hee at the dungeon.”
“What?”
Hyun-seong's mind reeled.
“Don't know details, but do you know how shocked Mom was?”
“Mom...”
“Dad went like that, must you worry me too? Huh?”
Mom held back tears, soothing her choked throat.
“Anyway, enough. Forgive the lies so far. After debt's paid, let's live normally.”
As Hyun-ji feared, it flowed that way. But Hyun-seong had plans.
“Mom, I lay powerless in that hospital bed for 10 years.”
“I know. That's why I'm more worried.”
“But that time felt longer to me. Thousands of years dreaming the same loop.”
Otherworld stuff wouldn't fly, so he framed it as a dream.
“In the dream, I tried everything to wake. Got strong blindly, destroyed the dream world, studied. Even died once. Can't forget the agony till breath stopped.”
News to Hyun-ji too, who looked shocked.
“Must've been hard.”
Mom sincerely comforted Hyun-seong's unbelievable tale.
But he had more to say.
“Yes, hard. But harder was, no matter my efforts, real me was a vegetable, not twitching a finger.”
Hyun-seong steadied his breath, baring his heart.
“But now I can do anything. I want to use this for our family. I'll make you happy. Trust me.”
Mom couldn't respond easily, glancing between them, then sighed.
“Whose stubbornness did you get...”
That meant.
“Mom wants little. If one of you ends up in hospital again, quit for good.”
“Yes, promise.”
“Yay!”
Hyun-ji, thrilled at permission, moved behind Mom to knead shoulders.
“Aigoo~! Gently, gently!”
“Oh, right. Hehe.”
Then softer, adjusting strength, easing the heavy mood.
“Mom, quit work now, rest.”
“Huh? Work? Not sure if I should.”
“We earn now. New house soon, anything you need, just say. I'll buy.”
“Got it. Quit tomorrow.”
Mom, inwardly hating the job, brightened at that alone. The happy vibe lifted Hyun-seong's spirits.
Then.
“Oh, right. Mom, what TV thing? How do you know Hunter Min Seol-hee?”
“Seol-hee? Knew her as your friend. Came home often, ate tteokbokki she made, ramyeon too. With Tae-hyun.”
Hearing that, Hyun-seong felt uneasy.
'Photo talking at dungeon entrance?'
He pulled out his phone, entered the Hunters app community list. Chaos unfolded.
Seeing the rocking posts and comments, Hyun-seong's face darkened.
“Oppa, something wrong?”
“Yeah, things are getting fun. Check Hunters app. Stuff you like everywhere.”
“Hey! Stop teasing!”
“Hyun-seong, nothing dangerous, right?”
“Don't worry. Seol-hee's in a bind, but I'll help and it'll be fine.”
He closed the phone.
“Oh! That's him, right? The girl behind too.”
“Whoa~ Amid all the fuss, they come here. Gutsy.”
“Min Seol-hee was here earlier too. Something today?”
“Dunno, but their hunter careers are toast. No guild'll take 'em.”
Whispers about Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji.
As said, they boldly visited the Hunter Association HQ. Noisy surroundings, but reason for visit.
“Hello? Where to?”
(Staff'll be by the gold elevator. Go, say my name.)
“OK.”
Hyun-seong hung up, approached the staff by the gold-painted elevator as instructed.
“Sorry, this is the Association President's private elevator.”
“Ice... no. Seol-hee said take this.”
“Ah, you two she mentioned. No description, so. Get in.”
Staff gestured calmly inside. They rode straight to the president's office.
Ding—
Exiting, carefree Seol-hee and sturdy elderly man.
“Hey!”
Seol-hee waved, recognizing them. Hyun-seong approached, greeting the elder first. He knew manners.
“Hello. Seol-hee's friend, Choi Hyun-seong.”
“Heh heh heh, nice to meet you. I'm Moon Cheol-ho, President of the Korea Hunter Association.”