125. Yeah, That's the Kind of Guy He Is?
“Grandpa, let's go already. We've got to rescue Guild Leader Kang.”
“You sure you're okay with this? Even if Joo Se-ah scouted another skilled hunter, Sinuiju's no walk in the park. This old man's face is too well-known to even set foot there. Which means no one's gonna be around to help you out. Honestly, I hate the idea of sending you into a place that dangerous.”
“What? The guy who stuck me with an ogre back when I was C-rank is suddenly getting cold feet?”
Go Eul-ji shot him an incredulous look, and Han Byung-gu cleared his throat awkwardly, his face flushing.
“Ahem! That was all for your own good...”
“Do it two more times and your one and only granddaughter's crossing the Jordan. You gotta know when to ease up.”
Running out of excuses, Han Byung-gu averted his eyes from his granddaughter's gaze. Go Eul-ji pouted playfully, then grinned.
“The guild master said it herself. You're a full-fledged hunter now. Not someone who needs protecting—you're the one who protects others. That's a hunter's duty. I can't keep playing the spoiled kid under your shadow forever, right? Can't just train endlessly either. I'm in the guild now, so I've gotta earn my keep.”
Han Byung-gu's chest tightened with emotion at his granddaughter's mature words. He'd always seen her as strong but still just a kid. He pulled her into a quiet embrace.
“Kid... you've grown up. All grown up.”
“Grandpa...”
Just as the grandfather and granddaughter shared a warm moment after so long, Han Byung-gu spotted it—a fluttering paper peeking from Go Eul-ji's back pocket.
Melonia Music Awards
— Performers: BTA, Red Wallet, ThatZY...
“What's this?”
“Ack, my ticket!”
“You brat! I knew it. Hunter's duty, my ass—bribed by some idol ticket? Hunteerrr's dutyyy~?!”
“Duty's great and all, but hunters need culture too. We're out here risking our necks slaying monsters and hunting for our missing guild leader. A little fun like this is fine, right?”
“Aigoo, you little punk. I should've stopped you chasing after those Bibi-go or Bifidus singers from the start.”
“Idols? To my oppas? And it's BTA. Without them, my life would've been nothing but slaying monsters in the boonies. They're the reason I turned out okay without going astray.”
“I tried raising a perfect hunter with no weaknesses, and she falls for a single idol ticket. Heh, it's all that Kang boy's fault! You know what? Forget saving him—let him croak!”
“He can't die. I haven't gotten my LA concert tickets yet.”
The bickering pair fell silent as the car pulled to a stop.
“Association Chairman, we've arrived.”
Arms crossed and glaring out the window like sulking kids, they ignored each other.
The driver quietly stepped out.
Grandfather and granddaughter. A veteran who'd rolled in the hunter world for decades, and a prodigy forged in brutal training from childhood.
The driver knew their affection came out rough around the edges. Best to give them space when they fought like this.
Soon, their huffy breaths evened out. Go Eul-ji unlocked the door and swung it open.
“Grandpa. I'll be off then.”
“Find that guy safe.”
“Yeah.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“Yeah.”
“Run if it gets dangerous.”
“Yeah.”
“And quit with the idols.”
“Yeah... Huh? No, that's not fair.”
“Anyway, show 'em what this old man's granddaughter's made of. Got it?”
“Don't worry. I'm Go Eul-ji.”
Their eyes met. No more words needed.
Go Eul-ji slammed the door shut with vigor. Through the window, Han Byung-gu watched her take the motorcycle keys and supplies from the driver.
The engine roared to life, then faded into the distance.
Han Byung-gu murmured softly to himself.
“Yeah, grown birds gotta leave the nest. Time flies, Ye-ji-ya. Your daughter's already this big.”
Hyeon Jeong-geon geared up to leave the hideout.
“Don't worry about the neighbors here—they're on good terms with me. I'll scout outside, gather some intel.”
“Feel free to bail if it's too risky.”
Kang Moo-hyuk casually gave Hyeon Jeong-geon permission to abandon him. Hyeon Jeong-geon's eyes widened in surprise.
“I may lack shame, but I've got loyalty. Wouldn't drag a sick guy all the way to dangerous Sinuiju just to ditch him like a coward.”
Kang Moo-hyuk pointed at himself, propped against pillows at the bed's head.
“Just offering the most effective option. Hesitate in a pinch, and you're done for. You went to engineering school—you know the drill: prep your discard plays in advance for crises. Right now, that's me.”
“Oof, that stings. That's hunter talk. You're not a hunter, boss.”
“The Chinese takeover of Sinuiju isn't just losing a city. It's a critical threat to gate security. I want you to escape this place and link up with North Pocheon. Tell Guild Master Joo Se-ah everything you know. That'll foil their plans.”
Hyeon Jeong-geon scratched the back of his head.
Yeah, that's the kind of guy he is.
Back in Titan days, the expedition team had hit rough patches a few times. Sacrifices followed, and the blame always fell on the raid leader and strategist.
Shouldering grieving families' rage and screams while holding the line—that took grit beyond the ordinary. And from a non-hunter, no less.
Kang Moo-hyuk got hit hardest precisely because he was ordinary. A role Hyeon Jeong-geon wouldn't touch.
Maybe that's why he'd stuck with Kang Moo-hyuk.
Well, mostly because it was fun.
“You forget my specialty? If I go dark for real, they won't know I'm here till my throat's slit.”
“Right, yeah. Slipped my mind with the years. Titan's top 'assassin.'”
“Top's a stretch. Nothing to brag about... Anyway, rest up. Back soon.”
Not long after Hyeon Jeong-geon left, a plump, kindly auntie climbed up to the attic.
“Hello. I'm Uiju Housewife, watching 'Jeongji-il' for Director Hyeon.”
“Yes, hello. But what's Jeongji-il?”
“Oh dear, look at me slipping into northern talk again. Hohoho. The kitchen, dear—the kitchen. Practicing standard speech, but I always give it away. Hohoho. You haven't eaten since yesterday, so I brought breakfast. Made porridge since you're a patient, hope it's okay.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you. Your Seoul dialect's spot on.”
“Folks here are good at standard. Learn from drama CDs. Biggest dream down south.”
Kang Moo-hyuk caught that “down south” meant south of Pyongyang. She sighed, launching into complaints.
“Life here's too harsh for kids. Makyung's rich in loot but dangerous. Tired of 'those bastards' breathing down our necks. Oh, sorry—getting teary in front of a guest. Eat slow, leave the bowl. I'll clear it later.”
“Mom!”
A boy bounded up the attic stairs, yelling at the top of his lungs. His dark, tousled hair and ragged clothes—elbows and knees patched endlessly, collar frayed, grime caked in—screamed poverty.
Compared to kids his age Kang Moo-hyuk had seen, this was destitution. Even a poor Seoul kid would look rich.
“Why the racket? What'd Mom say? Go easy.”
“That's not it. Cheon Deok-su's gang's outside.”
Uiju Housewife's eyes sharpened. Kang Moo-hyuk realized then.
She's a hunter.
Her loose clothes and apron hid a tanker's honed muscles.
“Gil-young, stay here.”
She left her son by Kang Moo-hyuk and headed down.
Kang Moo-hyuk eyed her steps. Knowing her now, they looked different—heavy but heels never hitting first. A tanker's agile weight-shift step, habit from lifelong hunts bleeding into daily life.
Half of old North Korean holdouts in Sinuiju are hunters, they joke. A housewife with solid basics as a tank. Low rank, but Makyung-honed skill looks solid.
Hunters judged tanks differently, but guild staff—especially strategists—eyed global trends.
Kang Moo-hyuk embraced advanced systems most eagerly.
For tanks, he prized steps above all.
Trend's multi-tanks or damage-tanks. Pure defense lacks tactical flex. Versatility handles surprises. Quick moves essential. Makyung's messy monster spreads hone that here.
Kang Moo-hyuk rose from bed. Dizziness hit; he swayed. Kim Gil-young steadied him.
“Uncle, you're sick. Don't get up.”
Kang Moo-hyuk looked down with interest. Unlike Uiju Housewife's faint northern twang, the boy's standard was flawless—even for southern kids.
“You speak Seoul fluently too?”
“This? Learned young. Gotta speak right or get mocked down south. Friends all do. Adults nag: one day we'll bust outta this prison. Northern dialect got us whacked with spoons. Heh.”
Kang Moo-hyuk felt the prison village's burning desire to escape Sinuiju.
Someday, safer, richer lives to support families.
Tough without policy or consensus.
North Korean hunters' post-Great War coup scarred Korea's history.
Decades on, survivors saw their descendants as latent traitors.
“Mind helping me to the window?”
“Sure. I'm strong.”
Despite bravado, the boy wobbled leading him.
Kang Moo-hyuk peered through the tiny attic window's gaps—small, boarded, but enough.
Five rough men lounged in the yard, smoking.
“That's Cheon Deok-su's gang. Real scum.”
Uiju Housewife emerged. They stubbed smokes, hands on waist swords, backs bearing spears—all hunters.
No audio through sealed window, but faces and postures screamed tension.
“Who's Cheon Deok-su?”
“Not there. His underlings.”
“Don't look friendly.”
“Their boss killed my dad. I'll awaken as hunter someday and get revenge.”
Kang Moo-hyuk glanced. The boy's eyes sparked hate no normal kid could muster.
Controlling that rage at his age. Hates 'em deep. Promising if he hunters up.
Realizing he was scouting talent, Kang Moo-hyuk chuckled inwardly and looked back.
“Got your grudge, but why scum specifically?”
“Why? Chinese lapdogs. Bad blood with patrols.”
“Patrols?”
“Guys guarding the village. Keep Chinese out, but Deok-su's crew sabotages. Ryeon Jeong-mun boss is toughest—keeps Deok-su in check.”
Who's Ryeon Jeong-mun?
Kang Moo-hyuk realized his prison village ignorance.
No Song-rin's intel covered Sinuiju broadstrokes, skimped village details—no factions like Deok-su's, vague pop or hunter counts.
Trapped from Chinese but plotting escape, he needed basics.
Wonder where No Song-rin's at. HQ? Or waiting outside Sinuiju?
He'd be useful now. Kang Moo-hyuk asked Kim Gil-young.
Misreading his thought, the boy clenched a fist.
“Don't worry, uncle. Mom's top dog here. Deok-su's won't mess easy.”
“Figures. Hey, Gil-young.”
“Yeah?”
“Uncle's curious—tell me about the village? Suddenly wondering about Ryeon Jeong-mun, Cheon Deok-su.”