116. Please Save Me, Folks.
Seo Su-ji's party headed to the Hunter Village shopping district to stock up on supplies before setting out on their hunt.
The shops were nothing more than modular buildings pieced together from factory-made containers, but sleek modern cladding gave them a refined look.
Most of the businesses were mid-sized or small firms. They'd seized the opportunity presented by the restrictions on major corporations until the shopping mall was completed on the drained Sanjeong Lake site, launching aggressive marketing campaigns.
They'd decked out the interiors to appeal to young hunters with stylish designs and drilled their staff on top-notch service. Massive discount events were just icing on the cake.
Thanks to the comfortable shopping environment rivaling famous outlets, the Hunter Village shopping district had been packed from day one.
"They're selling it this cheap? Whoa~ Even for an opening event... This is no joke, right? I should take out a loan and fill my backpack with these."
The price was steep for a boomerang dagger that might not return if thrown, but that was just from a civilian perspective.
To hunters, even a one-use item was worth it if it saved their life—100 million won wouldn't be too much.
Lee Cheol-jin grabbed Seo Su-ji, whose eyes were sparkling at the gear.
"Hey, our budget right now..."
"Oh my god. A Grade 3 Stamina Ampoule for this price? We gotta get this!"
Seo Su-ji brushed off Lee Cheol-jin's protests and dashed into the potion shop. He sighed into the empty air.
"Fine, when have you ever listened to me? Do whatever. All we'll have left is debt anyway."
"Don't be like that. This stuff looks top-quality. Might as well stock up while we can—the prices are solid."
Yoo Tae-jin chuckled heartily, clapped Lee Cheol-jin on the shoulder, and followed Seo Su-ji inside.
With even Yoo Tae-jin cutting loose on shopping, Lee Cheol-jin couldn't hold out any longer. He was a tanker thirstier for gear than anyone. He couldn't afford top-end equipment like guild elites or regular raid teams, but basic prep was essential.
And the stuff here was noticeably cheaper than elsewhere, at least from a quick scan. Iron Will Guild's guarantee meant solid quality too.
"Screw it. One more loan won't kill me."
The shop was buzzing with customers. The shelves looked picked over at a glance—stock was running low. They had to grab what was visible first.
Seo Su-ji lunged for the display shelf, hand outstretched.
The moment she snatched a potion, a hand slipped in through the tiniest gap. It swept up the last few bottles in a flash. The movement was so lightning-quick that by the time Seo Su-ji blinked, the stranger had claimed everything left.
"Wh-what? Who cut in line...?"
"Sorry 'bout that, ma'am, but this ain't cuttin' in. Fair an' square competition, it is."
"You again?"
Seo Su-ji snapped right into casual speech, and Yi Suk-young's expression hardened.
"You again? South Korean brat's got that rude tongue stuck on ya now, huh? I apologized yesterday for my mistake, but this time it ain't me."
"What? M-my, my mom's what? You just threw shade at my family?"
"Shade? What're ya talkin' 'bout? Can't make heads or tails o' that Seoul talk anyhow."
"Your northern dialect's no picnic either."
"We can't understand each other anyway, so let's just go our ways. Talkin' to ya's a drag."
As Yi Suk-young turned away, Seo Su-ji grabbed her shoulder.
"Fine by me, but hand over half the potions out of basic decency."
"Leavin' potions with me?"
"I called dibs first."
"Dibs or soup, eat it solo. These potions are mine."
"Hey!"
Yi Suk-young roughly shook off Seo Su-ji's hand and headed to the counter.
"Oh, really? Ignoring me outright?"
Seo Su-ji stormed after her. Lee Cheol-jin blocked her path.
"Hey, don't."
"Let go! Fine, okay. No fighting. Just wanna talk..."
"When have you ever not picked a fight or thrown a punch? Just drop it."
"Depends on how they act."
"Look outside first."
Lee Cheol-jin pointed to the window, where a hunter in a black coat was passing by.
The hunter wore an armor coat emblazoned with the Iron Will Guild emblem and a band on his arm reading 'Patrol'.
Unlike the others patrolling in pairs, this one was alone, with a face too boyish for an adult—more like a student. But in this world, you didn't judge by looks alone. Underestimating women or kids often led to disaster.
"Cause trouble in Hunter Village and you're out. Don't forget you signed the no-entry clause on the reservation."
Seo Su-ji bit her lip hard, glaring daggers at Yi Suk-young's back. She was bagging her potions and leaving the shop.
"Ugh, if we'd met outside, I'd have given her a piece of my mind."
She radiated hostility, but Yi Suk-young didn't even glance back. Total ignore.
'Our ranks look about even, and she still blows me off? One more run-in, and I won't hold back.'
After buying supplies in the shopping district, Seo Su-ji's party picked up a monster distribution map from the community center and headed out to hunt.
Freelancers entering solo had to let the center match them with party members, but groups like Seo Su-ji's just grabbed the basics and moved out.
Unfortunately, it was only day two since North Pocheon hunting grounds opened, so the center had no real intel worth noting.
They had the info, but as a special activity zone where spatial distortions spawned monsters randomly and vegetation shifted often, blind trust was foolish. Scouting was mandatory alongside.
And surprisingly, that scouting data often turned into cash.
Quality info could be submitted to the center for a fee. It was a win-win: the center got easy updates on area changes, and hunters profited without wasting time on sales.
There was a commission fee, but fair pricing based on info grade and seller limits made it trustworthy—no scams for buyers or sellers.
For lesser intel, posting it free under your name built recognition. Hunters remembering the provider's name was great for networking.
Recognition led to connections, connections to parties. Smart networking for rookies.
"Gotta move fast to snag anything. Loosen up first."
Party leader Yoo Tae-jin led them to a nearby hunting spot from the Sanjeong Lake site—mixed low-level monsters. Perfect to shake off rust from downtime and sync up.
Seo Su-ji plucked her bowstring eagerly.
"Man, finding one herb patch would be jackpot. Check the guide—Iron Will's bounty is huge. We'd harvest and sell first, o' course. 10% fee here?"
"That's byproducts. Herbs 15%, ores 20%."
"What? Why so high?"
"Processing's a pain. Sell outside, and taxes eat 30%. Way better here."
"True, hauling it beats that... Whoa? Why so many people?"
The spot was crawling with hunters—more hunters than monsters.
"Great minds, huh."
Yoo Tae-jin frowned.
Seo Su-ji's group snagged a few kills in the crowd before relocating.
"Not fully warmed up, but no choice. Head farther out."
"Yeah. Too crowded here—drives me nuts."
Yoo Tae-jin unfolded the map.
"Where to? West? East?"
East of Sanjeong Lake had a translocation plane.
Baekun Valley there had high-level monsters overall. Especially the 'Clapping Gorillas'—threatening bastards that flattened prey with palm slaps the size of a torso. Pack hunters too. Hitting one meant the whole group aggroed—nobody touched 'em lightly.
"Their hides pay well, but three of us? Nah."
"South?"
"Mixed bag. Mostly fast ones like Three-Striped Raptors or Sawbeak Ostriches. Low mobility means suffering."
"But claws and feathers sell big. Pool arrows, we could manage?"
"Chasing 'em down first? Pass."
Lee Cheol-jin shot down Seo Su-ji's idea; Yoo Tae-jin agreed.
"We're half-party. Even full ones struggle in open terrain without fast DPS."
"West then?"
"Eh. Orc and goblin stragglers mixed. Southwest's too tough. North's better—hunted Whisker Rats and Blade Raccoons before."
"Ugh, hate climbing."
"Quit whining."
North Pocheon's north was mountainous.
Originally gentle slopes, but after special zone creation, ages of change ruggedized it. Tough for civilians.
Hunters struggled too—not impossible, just annoying. Limited sightlines in rough terrain.
No visibility meant surprise encounters—could overwhelm party limits.
That's where ranger scouts shone.
Rangers fell under DPS broadly, but hunters subdivided classes by skills and style—a pro tip for assessment.
Seo Su-ji was a ranger specialist. Four-year freelancer, but guild-level skill.
Still, Lee Cheol-jin knew her impulsiveness all too well.
"This the way?"
"Yes! Not like I'm always wrong."
"You've screwed me enough to count past ten fingers. Focus this time—no games."
"Hey, I'm serious. Bow stance."
"Your serious scares me more."
"Relax. My Earth Ear skill picks up noise that way. Busy rustling—classic Blade Raccoon. Six or seven, doable?"
"Just pool good. We'll handle rest—support properly."
"Keep underestimating me. Time to show what I got. Here we are. Just around this rock—huh?"
Seo Su-ji peeked around the boulder and spotted a familiar face.
Problem: Yi Suk-young, the northern hunter, sat gut-stabbed, surrounded by other hunters.
She waved cheerily at Seo Su-ji's group.
"C-comrades! Why'd ya take so long? Hurry an' save me, folks!"
"What the hell's she..."
Yi Suk-young waved for help, and the hunters turned to Seo Su-ji's party.
Their murderous glares made cold sweat trickle down Seo Su-ji's back.
"...she saying. No, uncles, it's a misunderstanding..."
Their blades swung toward Seo Su-ji's group.
Kang Moo-hyuk answered the call from Russia.
"Long time, Guild Master Anton. Didn't expect a personal call."
-Heard you requested info while I was away.
"Direct contact means it's serious."
A heavy sigh leaked from Anton's end first.
-Nothing light from Makyung, but this... it's a real mess after ages.
"How bad?"
-Know the Blagoveshchensk incident?
Kang Moo-hyuk swallowed a groan. He knew it all too well.
Blagoveshchensk.
Once the capital of Russia's Amur Oblast, bordering China's Heilongjiang. Post-Makyung, uninhabitable.
Seven years ago.
A gate brimming with resources was found. Russia mobilized even Moscow's Tier guilds—a treasure trove worth 3% of their GDP.
480 billion dollars. About 60 trillion won.
Raw value only—processed, incalculable.
Russia opted for outbreak: kill boss and gatekeeper, leave core.
China intervened.
They wanted it first, but too close to Russia—hard to claim.
After clashes, China backed off. Not gracefully. If they couldn't have it, nobody would.
"The one where China blew the gate, right?"
-Yes. Nukes wide areas back to primitive based on rank. Can't use in cities, but Makyung? No issue. Knew Chinese were nuts, but that bold? Tensions spiked after.
Near-war clashes leaked despite info control—global news.
Kang Moo-hyuk disliked another big incident. Korea's Tier guilds were eyeing Makyung lately.
Korea bordered it—north push meant entanglement.
"How's this compare?"
-Three Russian Tier guilds, eight A-ranks, thirteen mid-tiers. Twenty-four known affiliates. Can't track all the small ones hitching rides.
"For one gate?"
-Not one.
"Pardon?"
-Five known gates.
"!!"