175. Why Block Them?
Two days before the Joint Assault Force inauguration ceremony.
"Vice Guild Master Eum Yeong-jin."
"Speak, Mr. Gwan-hong."
"The contract fulfillment is dragging on too much. Didn't you clearly say domestic issues would be handled by us? The Joint Assault Force is one thing, but there are too many annoyances. Even if we want to take care of you, Baekho Guild has to do its part first, right?"
"They'll eat well enough without your help."
"Of course you should. We joined hands to eat well together. But if you can't eat like this, we might have to eat on your behalf. Guard your own bowl."
Eum Yeong-jin desperately wanted to smash the receiver.
If he'd known it would come to this, he never would've gone to China for hunter training. His fluent Chinese had unnecessarily made him the liaison between Baekho Guild and Hwangryong Guild. Sure, it had gotten him the vice guild master spot, but if he'd known about this kind of work, he'd have handed it off to someone else.
This bastard's threatening me right now...? I hate dealing with them no matter how desperate things get. Working with Hwangryong Guild just feels off.
His feelings were hurt, but he couldn't blow the contract. Too much was at stake to back out now.
He worried about the guild master's reprimand, but with things this far gone—like riding a tiger—he couldn't jump off easily. Of course, staying silent like an idiot would just get him treated like a pushover, so he couldn't do that either.
Eum Yeong-jin lodged a protest within reasonable bounds.
"Before that, shouldn't we address Sinuiju falling through? Is that our fault too?"
"Responsibility for the Sinuiju plan lies on both sides."
"Ha? That's ridiculous. Isn't Sinuiju Hwangryong's stake?"
"It would've been cleaned up if Slayer hadn't interfered. Oh, and Iron Will Guild. With weaklings like that sticking their noses in, Baekho couldn't even properly check them."
"Iron Will called in Slayer, that's why. When Slayer gets involved, our room to maneuver shrinks domestically too. Unless we're starting a war, we have no choice but to move quietly from the shadows."
"That's why you're perennial second, third place? Or fourth, fifth?"
"Don't cross the line. If you don't keep your end, neither will we."
"My point is, you have to enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger."
"Tiger's den?"
"Join the Joint Assault Force."
"What are we supposed to do there?"
"Disrupt, steal info—handle it yourselves."
"Our guild wasn't drafted into the assault force."
"Figure out a way. If you can't even do that, how can we achieve great things together?"
"I'll discuss with the guild master and push it forward."
"I'll wait for your call."
One day before the Joint Assault Force inauguration ceremony.
Cha Gil-ju, head of the Guild Cooperation Department, had a long call with Baekho Guild's vice guild master.
Most of the call was him listening.
So much roundabout talk. Too suspicious.
Baekho Guild ignored Guild Cooperation requests normally but came crawling when they needed something—using threats instead of favors or fair trades.
Gates under raid could burst from accidents, or escort monsters could escape, that sort of thing.
They always brushed it off as jokes at the end.
Cha Gil-ju knew those "jokes" weren't just jokes. Several had turned real.
Those incidents mostly went unsolved. Suspicion pointed to Baekho, but no hard evidence, so they buried.
The Hunter Investigation Agency watched Baekho closely, but tier guilds were tier guilds—even thugs evaded tails.
No wonder good words didn't come easy from Cha Gil-ju's mouth.
"So, your point is you want to join the Joint Assault Force?"
"Our guild master seems bothered about not sending a team to the Chongjin defense line. This is a chance for social contribution and national service—we'll send our elite to the Joint Assault Force."
"Come on, Vice Guild Master. Let's be reasonable."
"Reasonable about what?"
"We've argued enough. Tired of the beating around the bush. Bottom line: no."
"No?"
"Personnel for the Joint Assault Force is entirely up to the current assault leader, Slayer's Team Leader Seong Seon-je. Even the government can't infringe on the assault commander's authority. It's in the Joint Assault Force bylaws."
Silence on the line. No breathing even. Cha Gil-ju sensed the irritation.
Then Eum Yeong-jin's voice returned, subdued unlike before.
"I always think this, but you live like there's no tomorrow."
"Threats as usual?"
"Threat? What misunderstanding. Just admiring your survival skills. No family? Nothing to fear."
"Why? Disappointed? Can't hold previous directors' families hostage?"
"Someone who lost family to monsters blocking hunters who want to hunt them. How do you bear the blame?"
"Listen, Eum Yeong-jin!"
Cha Gil-ju couldn't hold back a shout. The calmer Eum Yeong-jin got in response.
"Listening."
"Does Baekho Guild have the right to talk service or contribution? You're the only tier guild that didn't support Chongjin defense. Should've helped earlier if you wanted to talk."
"That's why we're sending now."
"Don't pull tricks!"
"You know what real tricks are. We don't bluff."
"What then? Releasing monsters on streets this time?"
"No way. Low tricks like that backfire if overused."
"No matter how clever, threats during national crisis aren't good."
"Ask those facing accidents if it's good or bad."
"……."
Cha Gil-ju knew, and so did Eum Yeong-jin. They couldn't pull this often.
If Baekho acted like a wild colt, other tier guilds would step in.
Baekho called them government dogs, but maintaining national and social order mattered greatly to hunters too.
Major guilds wanted rights guaranteed, but within order.
Not chaos like Africa or South America.
Thus, Baekho's threats had limits to materializing.
But with precedents, neither could ignore.
"Joking. As always."
Eum Yeong-jin backed off first in the silence.
Not a real concession—an ultimatum.
Cha Gil-ju knew to fold here. That's how you negotiated with guilds. Winning against them caused problems. Better prevent than clean up.
"I'll sound out the Joint Assault Force."
"They'll say 'no' of course. Just arrange a seat and look away. We'll handle the rest."
"Hunt monsters before hunters? Can't let you cause chaos. How about this instead."
"How?"
"Ultimately, no pretext for joining makes it hard, right?"
"You mean... you'll make a pretext?"
"Form a full raid party and send to Chongjin. I'll mediate."
"Hmm~ Good. Let's do it. But one? Late to the party—go big. Three raid parties."
Cha Gil-ju disliked the intent but couldn't refuse three tier guild raid parties on the front lines.
Baekho was trouble, but tier guild power wasn't laughable. If they killed monsters well, fine.
If their involvement reduced sacrifices, he'd deal with devils.
"One more promise: follow the assault commander's orders absolutely."
"Following orders to hunt monsters is obvious."
"I hope you keep that word."
The day of the Joint Assault Force inauguration ceremony.
"Baekho Guild……."
Baekho Guild Vice Guild Master Eum Yeong-jin walked in.
He paused passing a table at the hall's edge. A placard read 'Green Nare'. He picked up a juicy steak from a plate and said,
"Why the long faces? Eating something this delicious."
Suddenly, a hunter beside him stabbed his fork reverse-grip into the table. It sank deep, head invisible.
"Who said eat mine?"
Eum Yeong-jin glanced alternately at the still-vibrating fork and the hunter.
The hunter's seat had a placard too.
"Short tongue? Green Nare Hunter Seo Se-in. By seniority, I'm way ahead."
"Hunters don't do generations like Marines, Eum Yeong-jin Hunter?"
Baekho's Gye Myeong-sik grabbed Seo Se-in's shoulder as he rose.
Sparks flew from their eyes; Park Beom-il behind Eum Yeong-sik stepped in.
"Not generations, then skill. Wanna go? Winner's hyung."
"Aigoo, old man. Itching for a fight? Wanna try me?"
Do Do-hee leaned in laughing, daring him.
Park Beom-il's shoulders heaved. Fangs extended for beastman shift when party member Go Tae-seop blocked.
"Picking on Green Nare's notorious four? Our party leader doesn't fight 'anyone'."
"Hey, am I 'anyone' to you?"
"What? Notorious? Taste my blade, punks?!"
Do Do-hee and Seo Se-in flared up together.
Even seated Mun Il-su couldn't stay out.
"I'll buy it. Thought we'd pass quiet today."
His tone reluctant, but he prepped for fight.
"Total mess. Green Nare barely holds; now Baekho? Faster hunting ogres and taming them."
Dragon Slayer's Jeon Ye-seong sighed, wine glass in hand, turning away. No interest.
The hall's atmosphere soured instantly.
Fight-loving guild members bet winners; travelers egged as drinking snacks.
Kang Moo-hyuk's serious vibe vanished.
"Why's Baekho here.....?"
Seong Seon-je overheard Kang Moo-hyuk's mutter.
"Didn't you call them, Assault Leader Kang?"
"We're not hosting trolls. Unless here to wreck."
"Then we settle quick."
"Can't attack without cause. If not provoking, hear them out first."
Seong Seon-je stepped forward at Kang Moo-hyuk's mediation.
"Vice Guild Master Eum Yeong-jin, what's the matter?"
"Seems procedural error. Baekho missing from Joint Assault Force doesn't make sense."
"Guilds with zero Chongjin contributions excluded."
"That's settled. Just deployed three full raid parties to Chongjin. Request support freely where needed."
All hall hunters showed shock. Three raid parties matched Slayer's scale. Suspicious move eyeing assault leader spot.
Eum Yeong-jin added to dispel doubts.
"No intent to interfere with current structure. Just want to contribute from the backbenches defending the nation."
No one bought it. Hidden dirty motives assumed…….
"Welcome to Chongjin! Three raid parties? Always welcome, Vice Guild Master Eum Yeong-jin!"
……No.
Kang Moo-hyuk welcomed Eum Yeong-jin so warmly he nearly hugged, shaking hands vigorously.
Eum Yeong-jin flustered by unexpected reception.
"Ah, yes……."
Eum Yeong-jin knew of Kang Moo-hyuk. Odd not to—recent Korea upheavals all linked to him.
Plus, lesser-known: he'd blocked Hwangryong's Sinuiju plot. Couldn't feel at ease.
Why's my mood souring? What is this guy?
Two days before the Joint Assault Force inauguration ceremony.
"Director. The Sinuiju incident puppetmasters I mentioned. We need countermeasures. Left alone, they'll meddle in the raid or stir Makyung."
At Kang Moo-hyuk's concern, secretly visiting Chongjin Cha Gil-ju probed subtly.
"Then, perhaps Guild Master Joo Se-ah……?"
"Guild master has other duties. Force won't work. Can't tire them pre-raid, outnumbered too."
"Then... negotiation? Did you call me for……"
"Negotiation needs concessions. They want Northeast Asia hunter dominance. Unacceptable terms."
"Then, how……?"
"We need time. Make them think they control the situation."
"Think?"
"Sinuiju tier guild expeditions check Dandong. Soon Russia targets gates. No bandwidth for us, hard to intervene in peninsula internals outside Makyung. Leaves internal allies."
"Internal?"
"I requested Park Chung-su for guilds tied to Chinese guilds."
"Traitors?"
"No surprise. Hunters ignore borders. But theirs went too far."
Kang Moo-hyuk didn't specify, but Cha Gil-ju got it instantly.
"Baekho Guild."
"Yes. We'll move them. Schemes to join Joint Assault Force."
"They won't. I'll block."
"Why block them?"
"Pardon?"
"They're offering help. Might as well use their hands."
Cha Gil-ju gaped at Kang Moo-hyuk. Baekho was useless parasites.
Can't fix people—how use them?
Kang Moo-hyuk grinned at the exposed thoughts.
"No need to fix. Broken things have uses as is."