165. Shall We Try Acting Properly for Once?
Thud~!
“Why’s Eul-ji acting like that?”
Gyeong Su-hyeok’s question drew a headshake from Baek Seong-bin.
Go Eul-ji looked utterly drained, her eyes hollow like rotten fish, but not a single expedition hunter asked if she was okay.
And for good reason. Among the expedition team, she was stronger than anyone except the leader, Lee Jin-joo—overwhelmingly so.
The problem was her personality matched her power. It was no joke.
On her first day joining the expedition after the Tumen River defense line broke and Iron Will Guild issued a full mobilization order, one overconfident hunter had poked at her, mistaking her youthful appearance for weakness. She’d beaten him to a pulp.
Who would dare treat her casually after that? Especially since the victim was Seo Dae-chi.
Seo Dae-chi had a notorious reputation before joining Iron Will. People called him a money-grubbing scum.
Like all scum, he survived by being skilled. He was infamous in the freelancer hunter world for his brutality. Everyone wondered why the leader had scouted him.
When he got thrashed just for a few rude words—despite being shunned by his own guildmates—people felt a grim satisfaction. But after she roughed up a few more hotheads, no hunter dared mess with Go Eul-ji.
They didn’t pity Seo Dae-chi, but they feared ending up the same, so they steered clear.
Baek Seong-bin tugged Gyeong Su-hyeok away. “Who knows. She seems pissed. Let’s keep our distance for now. No point getting caught in the crossfire.”
“You’ve got a healing factor. You’d be fine even if she hit you.”
“Healing factor doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Didn’t you see what she did to Seo Dae-chi?”
“True. Never heard him scream like that. The guy laughed off a Kalanikops claw through his shoulder while slashing away. Guess even beasts bow before their masters.”
“Guild master called her a little demon, but looks like she takes after him in temperament too.”
“Nah, that’s just how she’s wired.”
“Shh! She’s looking this way. Don’t make eye contact.”
Go Eul-ji turned her head, and the two hunters stared off into the distance, pretending not to notice. The others nearby followed suit, suddenly very interested in nothing.
Fighting monsters nonstop was exhausting enough, but sharing camp with one? It set their nerves on edge.
Still, no one complained about Go Eul-ji being on the expedition.
They were suffering, but the monsters she targeted were actually dead.
None of the monsters she hunted retained their shape. It hurt guild profits when corpses were mangled beyond salvage, but for hunters risking their lives, she was the most reliable ally imaginable.
For Iron Will, lacking magical firepower, she was beyond precious—a treasure. Most monster packs fell to her alone.
Other guilds’ strike teams had multiple area-of-effect mages, but none could operate solo like her. It was safe to say she was one of a kind.
Thanks to her, Iron Will conserved resources. Their team wasn’t top-tier compared to others, but casualties were minimal—all thanks to Go Eul-ji.
“Alright, everyone! Gear check!”
Lee Jin-joo clapped as she strode into the expedition’s rest area clearing. Gyeong Su-hyeok raised his hand.
“Leader? We moving out?”
“Leader’s orders to stand by. Says he’s got a plan.”
“Sigh. Finishing hunts so fast isn’t all good. Our deployment count’s double the other guilds’.”
“Half of those were solo clears by Eul-ji. What’re you whining about?”
“Exactly! Why am I the only one pulling overtime?!”
Go Eul-ji burst out whining. Lee Jin-joo replied coolly.
“Because you’re our expedition ace.”
“A-ace...?”
Pffft~
“Ack! No, that’s not funny.”
“Huh? Not buying it? You’ve grown.”
“Ace this, ace that—I’m still a minor! I don’t pull all-nighters for finals, and now overtime? For a whole month! I should report this to Labor. Total exploitative boss.”
“Hunters aren’t under Labor.”
“Guild Cooperation Office then?”
“Nope.”
“Investigation Agency?”
“That’s for villains.”
“Association...?”
“Pulling the family card, huh?”
Go Eul-ji rattled off every agency she knew, but none handled hunter mistreatment.
“Seriously, no one protects hunter rights?”
“What for? Hunters are loaded. Everyone says it’s the top dream job. From another angle, no 3D gig pays like this.”
“3D?”
“Dirty, dangerous, and demanding as hell.”
“Aha.”
Gyeong Su-hyeok wanted to correct her but kept quiet. These people didn’t listen anyway. Short acquaintance, but experience proved it.
Instead, he pointed out the real issue.
“Forget the rest—we need rotations. Stamina might hold, but this’ll burn us out.” He tapped his head.
Go Eul-ji nodded. “Right. I’ll go mental listening to monster whines, flesh ripping, green blood, and bones snapping forever.”
“Didn’t you say hunting relieves stress at first?”
“Games are fun as a hobby. Try pro gaming without sleep—is it fun?”
“Hunting’s not for fun.”
“It’s just a saying. And school starts soon! A high school senior even S-ranks avoid! You gonna keep me from class? Miss graduation days, it’s on you.”
“You said no college.”
“College or not, high school’s mandatory. I pay taxes now—let me burn my last school days with my own money. Why block me? Let’s strike as a group. Tell the leader, or poke him yourself. Give me vacation.”
“Burning out? You can do that here.”
Lee Jin-joo ignited a flame in her palm. Azure flames danced up her arm, making Go Eul-ji flinch back.
“Not cool, leader. Fresh off rank-up and you bully your subordinate? People with status get called out for power harassment.”
Iron Will’s MVP this defense might just be Lee Jin-joo.
Kang Moo-hyuk saw her A+ rank as inevitable, but back-to-back battles accelerated it beyond expectations.
A+ was the baseline for major guild expedition leaders, putting her on their level at last.
Lee Jin-joo smirked, snuffing the flames.
“Hang in there. Countermeasures soon.”
“Rotations?”
“No. Counterattack.”
“Huh? Counter-what?”
“Wipe ’em all out.”
Unlike Go Eul-ji’s grimace at more hunting, excitement rippled through the team.
Baek Seong-bin asked for hesitant Gyeong Su-hyeok, who’d shown weakness during the orc raid.
“Wipe ’em all—named monsters too?”
“Obviously. Leave them, and it’s all for nothing.”
“Can... we take them?”
One hunter blurted out.
Lee Jin-joo shook her head. “Don’t worry. We’ve got a separate team for that.”
Dozens of vehicles sped along the Donghae Coastal Expressway, open less than a decade and extended to Najin City.
It was a secure supply route to the northern defense line.
Monsters made “absolute safe” impossible, so guards escorted them. Given the passengers, it was mandatory.
Politicians from both parties, big shots who pulled strings. Media crews filming their campaigns. A massive convoy—government couldn’t skimp on security.
Escorting them: Hunter Association hunters. Guild Cooperation Office painted a cooperative picture. Chairman Han Byung-gu led personally. Government loved the unity optics.
“Picture-perfect. Picasso’d call it abstract.”
“A mess, right, Chairman?”
“Chongjin’s close. Let’s be real—this isn’t the director’s work?”
Han Byung-gu eyed Cha Gil-ju beside him. Cha offered a faint smile, silent.
“Knew it. ‘That guy.’ I fell for the ‘visit your granddaughter’ bait. Fool me.”
“Just go see her. No need for this circus.”
“She’s a full hunter now. Show up as chairman groveling? He’d mock me. This is ‘official business.’”
“That’s why Leader Kang suggested it. Didn’t know your granddaughter joined Iron Will.”
“Helped him, now hooked.... Anyway.”
Han Byung-gu’s eyes sharpened.
“What’s ‘that guy’ scheming?”
“Scheming? Just buttering up politicians.”
“Come on. You know he’s cunning. Seen it plenty. Draws sword, anything bleeds.”
“If only he stuck to grass.”
“Exactly. He’s a grim reaper when dancing with blades. Chops anything in range. But lawmakers this time? Heads roll, country riots. Starting to regret coming.”
“Hope he doesn’t.”
“Dragging me in, swapping reports. Riding with me means something to say. Whatever his game, he included me—spill it, Director Cha.”
Cha Gil-ju glanced at a sign.
Chongjin City 11 km
Destination near, he spoke.
“Nothing much. Just....”
“Just?”
“Stand by as a prop.”
“Prop? Me?”
“You and me both. Haven’t heard details yet.”
“Helping blind?”
“Have to. Delay more, who knows what happens.”
Han Byung-gu dropped it. He’d timed Association hunters’ intervention too. If he was frustrated, Cha—coordinating national guilds—must be boiling.
Knowing Cha’s past, Han guessed why he backed Kang Moo-hyuk.
Director Cha or I—we’re not so different from that guy or Se-ah.
Total monster extinction.
Without that goal, no need sticking in Guild Cooperation amid this filth.
“No backing out now. Let’s see how far he dances.”
“Sunglasses? New look?”
No Song-rin eyed Kang Moo-hyuk’s unusual shades.
Kang fiddled with the frame, removing them. “Need to look ‘sharp’ today.”
“Fighting someone?”
“Less fight, more performance. Directing a bit for the actors.”
No Song-rin tilted his head at the cryptic words. As he opened his mouth, Kang pointed ahead.
“Here come the actors.”
A line of black sedans entered Chongjin road’s end.
“All set?”
“Told Lee Jin-joo leader. Ready to move anytime.”
“Good. Then, from now on....”
Kang nodded, slipping shades back on, murmuring.
“Shall we try acting properly for once?”