Reunion with the Snow Woman
“Hey? Isn't that the Snow Woman?”
“Snow Woman? Where?”
“Over there by the entrance.”
The Hunter Association headquarters erupted into a buzz at the arrival of one person.
It was only natural. In today's world, hunters wielded influence great enough to shift global tides, and Korea was no exception—treating them like celebrities. But what if that hunter possessed extraordinary abilities, striking beauty, and even honor and status to match? Such a person could draw every eye in the room with nothing more than their entrance.
The perfect example was S-rank hunter Min Seol-hee, also known as the Snow Woman.
She had awakened during the Great Cataclysm ten years ago, becoming a hero who defended South Korea. Now, she served as guild master of the major guild, Silver Eagle Guild.
The reason for her visit to the Hunter Association was simple.
'Damn rogues.'
Even as guild master of a large guild—one responsible for dungeon raids and hunter training—her top priority remained the rogues.
Rogues were awakened individuals who never registered with the Hunter Association, forming their own renegade groups to operate independently or commit crimes.
Lately, though, even that definition was starting to blur.
'Now we've got fake hunters pretending to be the real deal.'
Registering as a hunter wasn't hard, so these criminals simply signed up first, then went on their rampages. In the past, suspecting rogue activity meant checking registration records first. But now? That trick no longer worked, making hunts even tougher.
Her face set in grim determination—she wouldn't let them get away if caught—Min Seol-hee strode through the association's halls.
Today's summons concerned rogue activity.
Guilds were established under association oversight, but not all aligned with its goals. Many operated more like corporations, each with wildly different systems. Some ignored the association entirely, marching to their own beat, while others cooperated closely.
Silver Eagle Guild fell into the latter camp. They had agreed to tackle rogue issues alongside the association.
She soon reached the elevator to the president's office and spoke with the staffer there.
“Good day, Hunter Min Seol-hee.”
“Yeah, the president's expecting me. Show me up.”
“Right this way.”
The staffer hit the call button and gestured her inside as the doors slid open.
Min Seol-hee stepped in first. A crowd quickly gathered outside, eager for even a glimpse of her face, but the staffer hopped in and shut the doors swiftly, restoring quiet.
“Haa... Coming to the association is a chore.”
“Must be tough with this happening every time. We should control the crowds better...”
“Nah. It's not easy, and I don't come that often anyway.”
They ran into each other on every visit, so they were on familiar terms.
“I'll just tough it out.”
Being treated like a celebrity meant extra caution in public. Barking orders to clear out the “annoying fans” would spawn app posts titled something like “Min Seol-hee's True Personality Sucks.” As guild master, she was the guild's face—its image. She couldn't risk that.
So she endured the hassle.
“After a few years of this, you get used to it.”
The staffer nodded in agreement. Their brief chat ended as the elevator dinged arrival.
The doors opened straight into the president's office.
“We're here.”
Min Seol-hee stepped inside at his guidance.
The room was impressively spacious, but otherwise unremarkable. Aside from the president's desk by the floor-to-ceiling windows and a guest sofa far across the expanse, it was empty—emphasizing the sheer scale.
“I'm here.”
Min Seol-hee waved casually at the president, who sat with arms forming a triangle, striking a pose.
“How is it you only loosen up around me?”
His heavy voice belonged to Moon Cheol-ho, former S-rank hunter and current president of the Korean Hunter Association.
He had awakened late in life ten years ago, conquering dungeons at breakneck speed before retiring two years back to become the first hunter-born association president. That history made him more than a colleague to Min Seol-hee—a true ally.
“C'mon, Uncle, cut the formalities and get to the point. I'm dying to hear the news.”
She flopped casually onto the guest sofa. Moon Cheol-ho handed a file to the accompanying staffer, who passed it to her with a briefing.
“An incident occurred yesterday in the Hapjeong Station E-rank Goblin Den.”
“E-rank? You're calling me in for a measly E-rank dungeon?”
Min Seol-hee shot Moon Cheol-ho an irritated glare.
“Hear me out first.”
She flipped through the file more carefully.
“An unauthorized dungeon entry by a suspected A-rank rogue, Shadow Walker, in the E-rank Goblin Den...”
Min Seol-hee mulled it over before asking, “Any casualties?”
“None. In fact, a D-rank hunter inside uncovered criminal activity and was brought here to the association.”
“What's that about?”
“Sounds like a scuffle broke out internally. They tried to kill an awakened porter.”
“Talk about a shitshow.”
Min Seol-hee tossed the file aside carelessly and crossed her legs.
“This wasn't Shadow Walker. If it was him, everyone inside would've been dead.”
“I know. But slipping into and out of a dungeon without our staff noticing isn't easy.”
“Must've ducked in during a momentary distraction.”
“I'd like to believe that, but...”
Moon Cheol-ho nodded to the staffer, who handed over a tablet.
“This is an anonymous post uploaded to the Hunters app last night.”
Min Seol-hee read the post carefully, her eyes widening.
The comments were mostly skeptical, but the hot-button topic had drawn plenty of eyes.
“Location and time match perfectly. Likely written by one of the hunters or porters from inside.”
Min Seol-hee tilted her head at the staffer's words.
“But why didn't they touch the people inside?”
“Lost interest, probably. Rogues are fickle like that.”
Min Seol-hee's expression turned intrigued as she stared at the tablet. Abruptly, she handed it back and stood.
“If he's active again, I can't sit idle. I'll start by meeting everyone who entered that dungeon yesterday.”
“Can you handle that?”
“That's why I'm here.”
Her face hardened with resolve.
“Much obliged.”
She nodded curtly, then left the office.
In a rush to head straight to her guild, she exited the building—only to catch sight of a man, drawn by her senses and an inescapable pull.
“Huh? Choi Hyun-seong?!”
She should have swept out with her usual icy poise, aloof as ever. But seeing him? Impossible.
This was the friend from her childhood memories, the one who'd shared most of her youth: Choi Hyun-seong.
***
“W-Who?”
Hyun-seong didn't recognize her. But Hyun-ji did.
“Huh? The Snow Woman...”
No one in the hunter world could miss her.
Thwack!
“Hey! Don't you dare talk like that to our national hero!”
Hyun-ji smacked her brother's back, bowing repeatedly to Min Seol-hee with apologies.
“My brother's been out of commission in the hospital till recently. Please forgive him.”
Then—
“You too—bow already!”
She grabbed Hyun-seong's neck and yanked him down with her.
He bowed in bewilderment, clueless as to why.
“So, what's your name? Snow Woman?”
Hyun-seong asked Hyun-ji bluntly. Min Seol-hee promptly offered her business card.
“Snow Woman's just a nickname. I'm Min Seol-hee, guild master of Silver Eagle Guild.”
Her heart raced: 'Recognize me now?'
But—
“Ah, got it.”
Hyun-seong was utterly oblivious. Too much time had passed; her face didn't click.
“But... how do you know my name?”
That was his real question: a stranger calling out his name like she owned it.
“Oh, uh, well, I have an acquaintance who looks just like you. Same name too, Choi Hyun-seong.”
Min Seol-hee floundered, utterly lost. Eyes began gathering around them.
“Ah, small world. Sounds like someone important—I won't take your time. Excuse us.”
Hyun-seong pocketed the card with a nod and slipped past quietly.
To onlookers, though, it looked like something else entirely.
“Did he just diss her?”
“Dude's nuts—turning down a Silver Eagle recruit?”
“He just walked off?”
“Damn, if it was me...”
They imagined a recruitment pitch rejected—or flat-out ignored.
Some shot envious glares; others seethed with jealousy.
Min Seol-hee, now uncomfortable, vanished from the scene. True to an S-rank's prowess, no one noticed her go.
“Choi Hyun-seong, what the hell? Drama already.”
“What?”
“That was an S-rank! Someone you only see on TV. Huge deal!”
Hyun-seong ignored his buzzing sister and wove through the crowd to the registration counter, Hyun-ji trailing despite forgetting her usher duties.
They arrived.
“Welcome. Here for hunter registration?”
“Yes.”
“ID, please?”
“Here.”
He handed over his resident card from over a decade ago. The staffer matched the photo to his face, nodded, and guided him through.
***
“Easier than I thought.”
Hyun-seong met up with waiting Hyun-ji after registering.
“Right? Same for me. Just check if you're awakened and lift some weird stone. Done.”
She'd registered right after awakening.
Hyun-seong checked his new card as they left.
'D-rank, huh.'
All hunters started at E or D. The line was drawn by whether you could lift the stone during registration.
'Total stats, probably.'
It tested not just strength but overall stats meeting a threshold—common item in his otherworld days too.
Thanks to his maxed-out build, he started at D. Higher ranks required promotion exams.
“What's the promotion criteria?”
“Dungeons cleared, plus beating association-designated ones in time limits, I think. Gotta check details.”
“Examiner goes in with you?”
“Probably? That's why promotions are tough past a certain point—levels stall, specs don't grow easy.”
Hyun-seong nodded.
'Yeah, that tracks.'
He recalled early otherworld days grinding levels.
'Same monsters over and over—exp dropped off.'
Experience literally meant familiarity; repetition dulled gains.
But—
'Doesn't apply to me.'
Hyun-seong took a deep breath outside and turned to Hyun-ji.
“Now that we're registered, let's hit a dungeon right away.”
Her eyes bugged out like a startled rabbit.
“M-Me too?”
“Who else? You're the senior here.”
His teasing lilt left her jaw on the floor.