204. Humiliation is Fleeting.
Russia officially announced that Zmei Gorynych had entered hibernation. At the same time, the mission rank for the dragon raid was established.
Continental-level mission.
It was a difficulty level that hadn't appeared in ages.
Debates raged across every sector. Opinions calling it excessive clashed fiercely with those deeming it appropriate.
The former launched offensives, fretting over the national credit downgrade and economic fallout from such an inflated mission rank. The latter placed their weight on how elevating the rank could secure cooperation from hunters worldwide.
Curiously, no expert mentioned the direct threat posed by Zmei Gorynych.
That was only natural. The TV panelist who had harped on the dragons' dangers by dredging up the old Nine Dragons Mausoleum had vanished without a trace.
Of course, this was purely an internal Russian matter.
The real uproar came from the neighboring countries.
Broadcasters fixated on Khabarovsk's annihilation, airing doomsday scenarios day after day about what might happen if the dragon veered toward another nation.
But ignoring the world's frenzy, some zeroed in on the hidden facts and began preparing countermeasures.
"An attack team got wiped out just to confirm the dragon's hibernation."
Seong Seon-je spoke of the dozens of vanished hunters like it was no big deal.
"Black Owl prisoners, obviously?"
Kang Moo-hyuk tossed back the question casually.
"Likely. Villains come cheap. Even in a human-rights dumpster fire like Russia, they couldn't just feed regular hunters to the dragon."
Black Owl Prison was Russia's premier hunter containment facility.
The Korean equivalent would be Ujungdo.
Russian law treated villains as rightless slaves. Hunter crimes wreaked too much havoc for anything less. Without iron-fisted sanctions, Russia's shaky central-local coordination would collapse society overnight.
Instead, they dangled occasional redemption shots, same as other hunter prisons.
One method: hunts in godforsaken wilds beyond state or guild reach.
Those gigs were brutal, though—death odds crushed survival chances.
Kang Moo-hyuk backed this villain handling. Not out of civilian bias. Even hunter Seong Seon-je agreed. Industry vets knew taming hunters without harsh measures was a pipe dream.
Sure, activists and their civilian cheerleaders decried it as medieval barbarism, but Kang Moo-hyuk dismissed them as clueless idealists.
Treating civilians and hunters as equals is rotten thinking from the start. Villains—barring a tiny fraction—are societal tumors, monsters in human skin. Lose control, and you're South America or Africa 2.0.
So Russia's move to deploy hunter criminals was valid.
Shelving any notions that outsiders might brand it cold-blooded ruthlessness, Kang Moo-hyuk continued.
"Russian contacts say Zmei Gorynych originated from the old Nine Dragons Mausoleum site. Fresh intel from my new Chinese friend points to it being the boss from the Jilin City Gate. Judging by the dragon skull it clutched, it devoured unrecovered remnants of an ancient dragon and evolved."
Russian contacts meant the Char Guild. New Chinese friend: Guan Hong.
Seong Seon-je knew the sources—Kang Moo-hyuk had opened up about them.
The kicker: even his own Slayer Guild master was in the dark.
He loved Slayer Guild, but hated top brass meddling in his schemes. That's why, despite declaring his hunter comeback, he still clung to strategic team lead. The type craving total control over the guild.
Can't blame him. Total authority's a drug—hard to quit.
Reading Seong Seon-je like a book from experience, Kang Moo-hyuk shared select intel to build trust.
"Absorbing that devoured dragon's power fully will take time, then."
"Buys us a breather now, but who knows how much stronger it'll be upon waking."
"Won't be quick. Great War dragons and later ones took ages to rouse. We've got prep time. No clue where it'll head next, though."
"Top monster scholars worldwide are mobilizing. They'll estimate hibernation soon. Meanwhile, let's reactivate Sinuiju. Agreed, Team Lead Seong?"
"Agreed. What about the unified raid force? Can't keep it indefinite. Folks already fret it'll become another power bloc. More watchdogs as time drags."
"Disband for now. Keep the skeleton crew for instant recall."
"Instant recall? That's running an organization.... You aiming for the Hunter Association?"
Nailed it. Kang Moo-hyuk elaborated.
"Strengthen Association authority to curb government meddling. Chairman Han Byung-gu won't sweat petty noise. His industry clout's undeniable."
"Sounds less like praise, more like stubborn geezer. But yeah, he's the right pick."
"Have the Association handle unified raid recruitment and support. Familiarizes the public."
"Familiarizes.... What's the angle?"
"Long-term: rebrand unified raids not as an interest group, but the representative body. Once seen that way, glory and belonging blunt draft resistance."
"Representative of hunters?"
Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head at Seong Seon-je's question.
"No. Of the nation. Like the national team."
No sooner had the unified raid force disbanded than Eum Yeong-jin descended from the Tumen River to Seoul. Summoned by Baekho Guild Master Son Jung-beom.
Son Jung-beom, long unseen, greeted him with a sour scowl.
"Got your report. So...? Jack squat. Except those Red scum getting their asses kicked."
Blunt reprimand. Eum Yeong-jin felt wronged.
What more could I have done there!
Assassinate raid staff? Backstab mid-raid? Or sabotage the whole op outright to satisfy him?
Son Jung-beom wanted Baekho Guild gains.
Deployed hunters at Huanglong Guild's behest? Secure commensurate rewards—cash, items, concessions, whatever.
"Speechless? Got gripes?"
"No, sir."
Silence stretched. Son Jung-beom bored holes into him.
Eum Yeong-jin hated this quiet. Throat tightened, breaths shallow, body quaking, vision blurring—like a panic attack.
Damn it, Guild Master.... Wasting fear trait on this crap....
The brief-yet-endless pause passed; Son Jung-beom eased off. Grumbling, he said,
"Listen, Eum Yeong-jin. I'm pissed not just 'cause you came empty-handed."
"......"
"If no profit, at least don't rack up debts."
"Debts......?"
"Huanglong's acting fishy. Our plant says Guan Hong met Kang Moo-hyuk."
"!!"
"Get it now?"
"Betrayal?"
"Betrayal? Never trusted those snakes."
Convinced of Huanglong's double-cross, Eum Yeong-jin pressed urgently.
"If they cut a deal with Kang Moo-hyuk, our dirt files with Guan Hong might've leaked. He already pegs us as Chinese puppets—won't sit idle."
"Hmph, Kang Moo-hyuk.... Annoying thorn from way back, now a real pain."
"Take him out?"
"With Joo Se-ah and Seong Seon-je? Got the balls?"
"They won't babysit forever. Windows open—can't miss every shot."
"Board game's over before you strike. If they move first, no chances till then. Poke early, get bit. Shelve that."
"Then what......?"
"Counterfire. Prep our Huanglong dossiers—some fudged. We're pure victims. If it sours, spin we got used, drop some PR. Tout unified raid heroics. Innocent casualties. Yeah, solid."
"We'll look like clowns."
"Better than guild wipeout. Ignored daily? Survival first. Payback later. That's how we tiered up."
As Eum Yeong-jin gnashed teeth in fury, Son Jung-beom—who'd just chewed him out—softened slyly.
"Humiliation's fleeting. Strong don't just win—they outlast. We're tough. We'll endure to the end."
Kang Moo-hyuk's blade already aimed at Baekho Guild.
"Guan Hong leaked our meet via a spy he left dangling on purpose. Baekho sniffed it—will spin PR to dodge."
"Tier guild fights with words?"
Joo Se-ah cocked her head, baffled.
Media control was passive for big guilds, but against C-rank Iron Will? Ego bruise.
Better drag elites for a show of force. Or nighttime raid, butcher 'em.
That fit Baekho's style.
"Baekho's thug-outlaw rep overshadows. They rarely flex real muscle."
"Those punks lead with fists—infamous."
"Most hunters do. Take you, Guild Master......"
"Wanna eat one?"
"See? Fist first."
Joo Se-ah groaned an excuse.
"S-rank like me's tame. Baekho's worst offenders."
"Spot on. That's the fun part. Their violence? Orchestrated. Not saying crimes like beatings or kills were faked—they're legit. Legal criminals."
"So what's fabricated?"
"Violence wasn't indiscriminate."
"They picked targets......?"
"Exactly. Blew my mind digging in. Analyzed their incidents: only sub-tier hunters or guilds."
Joo Se-ah objected.
"Weird."
"How?"
"They poked Slayer Guild too. Tier-level troublemakers."
Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head.
"Mostly Park Beom-il's doing."
"That brawl-hound? The uncle who challenges strong hunters. Duel requests hit my queue too."
"Yep. Slotting him in main expedition? Calculated. His scraps pass as personal quirks, not guild ops. But his image sticks to them. Translation: Baekho Master picks weaklings."
Joo Se-ah cackled at the savage dig, no respect for a tier guild head.
"Only you'd trash a tier master like that, Director."
"Tier or not, criminals are criminals. No kid gloves for blight-on-society hunters."
A chill laced Kang Moo-hyuk's voice. Joo Se-ah clocked his resolve to purge Baekho.
He laid out the plan.
"Requested a few things from Guan Hong. One: Baekho defection records."
"Sneaky war ahead."
Joo Se-ah foresaw the play.
Media pros vs. Chinese-sourced dirt? They'd scream fakes, demand sources. Even verified, nitpick credibility. Play victim, cry frame-job.
"No media blitz. No state handoff either. Hunter Investigation Office? Endless probes, trials—fades to nothing."
"Then what use?"
"Leverage."
"Leverage—or blackmail?"
"Blackmail always hooks the guilty."
Joo Se-ah shook her head.
"Chinese puppets trying to dominate Korean hunters? Won't listen."
"That's why prep fists too. Hunter-style."
Kang Moo-hyuk pointed at her. She eyed the finger.
"Me? Go smash?"
He grinned.
"Time to go public. Guild Master, prep a press conference."