162. Where Are You Now?
In the office, now just the two of them again after Ryu Hyuk left, Jang Deok-gu muttered as if talking in his sleep.
"I can't figure out what the Captain's scheming."
"What do you mean?"
"Not just giving in to the Wanderer Guild's demands, but sending all the expedition teams from the tier guilds here in Sinuiju. And using Ryu Hyuk as a messenger for the other guilds, no less. That guy's going to spin this as him being some master negotiator to boost his influence. Why not just take the reins yourself, Captain? That's how you've always done it."
"If I step in, they'll just call me Slayer Guild's lapdog and suspect everything I do. Hunters are busy enough hunting monsters—wasting stamina on that kind of hassle isn't worth it."
Jang Deok-gu tilted his head.
Tiredness wasn't an excuse Kang Moo-hyuk would ever voice. It was better to assume some hidden agenda.
Kang Moo-hyuk wouldn't just sit idly by while an expedition team pulled out with zero gains.
He's not just sitting by. He's actively encouraging it. Even telling them to bring the other guilds' expedition teams along.
As the 'why' swirled in Jang Deok-gu's mind, Kang Moo-hyuk added,
"They need a title like that to get motivated. Even in the hunter world where might makes right, legitimacy matters. Pulling out from the Chongjin defense line without reason would draw fire from the government and the public alike. They won't pass up this chance. You know what happens to guilds without support."
"They end up like Baekho Guild."
Every time a hunter incident hit the news, the media dragged Baekho Guild into it. They cited the guild's lawless, illegal antics to chip away at its reputation.
It was something the government subtly encouraged.
Other guilds at least pretended to accommodate the government, but Baekho chased pure self-interest.
They ignored policies and proposals with a snort, shouting 'my way'—no wonder the higher-ups didn't look kindly on them.
Yet Baekho clung to its tier guild status despite the pressure from government and media. In a way, it proved their sheer grit.
Some even said Baekho could have formed a two-guild powerhouse with Slayer if they'd just managed their image.
This sentiment was shared among hunters too—Baekho was the black sheep of the community.
"Exactly. Pull stunts like Baekho's one too many times, and you get treated unfairly across the board. A hunter's real power isn't raw strength—it's being seen as a hero by the people. As long as they hold that, the government can't touch them. The government wields public opinion as a weapon, so guilds can't cross the line either. It's a nice checks-and-balances setup."
"So why hand them that legitimacy and send them to Sinuiju anyway? Sure, they're annoying, but the tier guilds' expedition teams are key here."
"We got attack teams in exchange. They needed a combat break anyway. Better to pull back the fatigued hunters and bring in fresh blood."
"Still, expedition teams are the guilds' elites. Attack teams from tier guilds aren't slouches, but they can't match expeditions. Garuda and Agora Magos are headaches enough, but blocking the other named monsters too? That's a stretch."
Mentioning the named monsters darkened the mood. Even Jang Deok-gu grimaced, and Kang Moo-hyuk's gaze turned icy as he stared beyond the wall.
The Chongjin defense line's headaches numbered four.
- The 4-star monster harpy's evolved named form, codename Garuda
- Not named, but a 5-star with a special danger mark in the monster codex: Agora Magos
- The unidentified original monster behind an ongoing evolution, infamous in North America as a hunter killer: codename Abomination
- An unknown monster absent from any database: provisional codename Armored Lizard
"Abomination's bad enough, but Armored Lizard's probably named too."
Kang Moo-hyuk nodded at Jang Deok-gu's assessment. He suspected a new named monster as well.
It was a stark reminder of why Makyung was called Makyung.
"The front holds because they've staked out their territories. Ryu Hyuk used Slayer as an excuse because he's worried about losing forces fighting these under-the-radar nameds. Pulling expeditions now is risky."
Kang Moo-hyuk replied to Jang Deok-gu's point.
"The tier guilds know that. They won't sacrifice attack teams just because expeditions leave. They'll come prepared to minimize losses. They won't charge in first, though. Truth is, their real gripe is elsewhere."
"Elsewhere?"
"The longer the fights drag on, the more expedition hunter combat data leaks. Tier guilds hate exposing their elites. They've fought on the same front for nearly a month without coordinating for that reason. The Slayer issue's just a pretext."
Jang Deok-gu had never lived in a tier guild, but he'd gleaned some insight through Joo Se-ah, so he got it.
The Hunter Investigation Agency he'd briefly joined operated the same way. Grade 1 investigators hid their identities.
It wasn't just safety—it prevented combat data leaks. Fights with criminal hunters often started blind; exposed info put them at a disadvantage.
Guilds were no different. Monsters were the main enemy, but trusting fellow humans? Not always. They could be deadlier.
Korea's paranoia ran deeper post-Great War betrayal by the global hunter community.
Kang Moo-hyuk had laid bare the tier guilds' mindset.
"It was only a matter of time. They'd swap forces with some excuse eventually. I just nudged the swap my way—where I need them."
"Where you need them? Sinuiju?"
"Yes. Right now, Sinuiju's where they're needed."
Something clicked for Jang Deok-gu at Kang Moo-hyuk's answer.
"Captain, since we're on Sinuiju—one thing."
"Go ahead. Ask away."
"Guild Master Joo Se-ah."
"……."
"Where is she now?"
Seong Seon-je stood near the Yalu River's downstream, not far from Sinuiju. Gam Woo-young stuck to him like licorice in an herbal shop.
Gam Woo-young broke into cold sweat, staring at the scene in disbelief.
"This... wasn't here before, right?"
"Obviously. No natural force reshapes a river overnight like this."
Seong Seon-je eyed the river split into two forks downstream.
A massive dragon thrashing couldn't have wrecked the channel worse—or replaced the delta with a bizarre upthrust mountain. No normal river end looked like that.
"Looks like a giant splashed around."
"Giants, yeah. Two of them—China's and Korea's."
"No way Sis Se-ah really hit S-rank... I figured she'd get there someday, but actually hearing it? Unreal."
"One more reminder: Guild Master Joo Se-ah's S-rank is secret for now."
"Even from the expedition team?"
"Haven't reported up yet."
Seong Seon-je's 'up' meant just the guild master and vice—two people.
Gam Woo-young jolted at the realization.
"H-Hiding this? What if it blows up later? I know now."
"We both keep quiet, problem solved. If the top finds out, my plans crumble. And you 'stumbled' on it, Hunter Gam. I meant to keep it to myself."
Gam Woo-young looked skyward as Seong Seon-je stressed 'stumbled.'
"I swear, I just picked up the office receiver by accident... Not on purpose."
"Fine. My fault for rushing the line without checking extensions."
"Right? Not my fault..."
"But eavesdropping on my call with Captain Kang Moo-hyuk? We'll address that."
"Y-You knew? Haha..."
As Gam Woo-young shrank into a corner pretending nonchalance, Seong Seon-je beckoned him back.
"Know why I brought you here, Hunter Gam?"
"Gah! To silence me?"
Gam Woo-young flinched into combat stance; Seong Seon-je sighed.
"Cut the joking. Look there."
He pointed to the battlefield.
"Opponent: China's famed magic swordsman, Sword Dragon. Our side: Korea's rep tank, the Witch. She doesn't use magic, but you wield swords primarily—and you've sparred with Guild Master Joo plenty. You'll see how they fought."
"Eh, roughly."
Seong Seon-je nodded at the terrain shift point; Gam Woo-young explained.
"Dunno Sword Dragon's skills. That blasted hole mid-river? Sis Se-ah's. Foot-shaped crater screams 'Giant Footprint' or similar. She's all about refined technique over raw skill, but against an S-rank? No time to be picky."
"Sword Dragon countered with a defense skill. Sword-based... See how the footprint's front scatters? Deflected the force."
"Next, straight punch. That rerouted the river. Opposite bank pulverized. Only Sis punches that brutish."
"Sword Dragon switched to offense. Swung his blade; her fist blocked, sending sword ki slicing this bank. Terrain shifted again."
Seong Seon-je and Gam Woo-young dissected the two S-ranks' clash like a replay, scanning down to the sea view over an hour.
Their conclusion?
"S-ranks aren't human."
Seong Seon-je said,
"I've checked here daily for the past month."
"Daily?"
"Came for Joo Se-ah's combat intel at first. But it kept nagging at me."
"Why? Impressive, sure, but it's like any big-gate boss fight we've seen. That red-gate dragon thing was crazier—no, similar?"
"A human left those dragon-fight traces. Crucial spot to gauge both hunters' power. From now on, come here daily, replay this fight. Study hard—you'll uncover new layers each time."
"New layers?"
"Tell me when you see what I saw. I'll point the next path."
Gam Woo-young felt like he was hearing a Zen koan.
"Uh, sure, I'll try as Team Leader says..."
"In that spirit, replay once more?"
"Again?"
As Seong Seon-je turned upstream, his smartphone blared. Sinuiju office calling.
"What is it?"
He listened silently, then dropped his gaze gravely.
"Other tier guilds coming here? Got it. On my way."
Tutting irritably as he hung up, curiosity piqued Gam Woo-young.
"What happened? Why from elsewhere?"
"Six tier guilds—including Wanderer—want to station expeditions in Sinuiju."
"Suddenly? Chongjin's fine now?"
"No way. Captain Kang Moo-hyuk's up to tricks again."
Seong Seon-je tried reading Kang Moo-hyuk's play, but lacked intel.
One thing clear: pulling tier expeditions to Sinuiju meant the front wasn't rosy.
Yet Kang Moo-hyuk lets it weaken?
Something else brewing.
Maybe tied to Guild Master Joo Se-ah's mysterious whereabouts.