Even a Beginner's Luck
Government Seoul Office.
Ring ring ring! Ring ri~ing!
"What the hell? A call during lunch?"
Park Chung-su, stuck on lunch duty in the office, picked up the phone with a puzzled frown at the unexpected contact outside normal complaint hours.
"Yes. This is Park Chung-su from Complaint Reception."
Even as he answered, his only thought was, Please don't be a psycho.
The Guild Cooperation Office was the department every Ministry of the Interior and Safety employee dreaded being assigned to.
And among them, Complaint Reception was infamous as the worst—the place where hunters wore you down until your lifespan shortened.
They didn't resort to outright violence, but the sheer presence of superhumans called hunters was overwhelming for any ordinary person.
—This is Kang Moo-hyuk, expedition leader of Taeseong Guild.
Taeseong Guild? Expedition leader?
Park Chung-su tilted his head at the unfamiliar guild name and title. He quickly tapped the keyboard to check registered guilds in the system.
"Ah, you're affiliated with Taeseong Group. What can I help you with...?"
He responded calmly, but Park Chung-su was on high alert.
Even regular hunters demanded kid-glove treatment, but corporate giants like this took it to another level.
Their hunters might lack top-tier skills, but their parent company's influence rivaled any major guild.
—I'm calling about guild relocation and affiliated territory registration. We have the paperwork ready, but the territory part might need some coordination.
"A-af-filiated territory? Seoul's a no-go zone for registrations. Are you relocating to a provincial area?"
—Yes. To Myeongseong City.
"Myeongseong City? Where's that again...?"
—North Pocheon.
"Ah, right, North Pocheon... Huh?"
Park Chung-su yanked the receiver away from his ear. He stared at it blankly before rubbing his ear.
Had he misheard? Or was it a prank call? Nah, couldn't be.
Guild-exclusive lines were known only to insiders, secured with layers of authentication no random could dial.
—Hello?
He snapped back only after hearing the voice leak from the receiver, refocusing on the call.
"Sorry. I must've... misheard for a second. Did you just say North Pocheon?"
—Yes. North Pocheon. Myeongseong City.
"You know registering a territory locks you in for three years, right?"
—Of course.
"It's a special activity zone, though..."
—That's why we're going. Tax exemptions, priority business rights, resource procurement privileges—right? Unless the law changed recently?"
"No, no. It's still valid."
The more they talked, the more baffled Park Chung-su grew.
What kind of place was a special activity zone?
It was the hunters' graveyard—worse than the department civil servants hated.
Not dangerous per se, but a dead zone: no fun, monsters everywhere, a living death.
Plus, North Pocheon had constant mana haze clinging like sticky residue—hunters hated it.
And they wanted to claim it as territory?
Not even setting up a branch office?
North Pocheon currently had zero affiliations.
Taeseong Guild as first would bar others without permission.
And special zones came with hefty incentives.
For reference, zero Korean guilds held territory there now.
Procedure's a breeze since it's empty. Government's dying to welcome them with open arms. South Pocheon City Hall would kiss their asses too—no issues there, but...
"You sure you're okay with this?"
North Pocheon territory was that kind of place.
Where the handling official worried for you.
—We're fine. But we have some requests.
"What kind?"
—We're the first for a special zone territory. Set up a meeting with the director. We need plans to offset the risks.
Park Chung-su's mind raced.
This is my shot.
Escape rope from Guild Cooperation. Hell, out of Complaint Reception was a win.
Luring a corporate guild to a special zone?
Solid achievement.
"I'll report up first. Can't schedule on my own."
—We'll wait.
Call ended, he checked Taeseong Guild's registered profile.
[Taeseong Guild]
▶ Representative Guild Master: Joo Se-ah
▶ Guild Expedition Leader: Kang Moo-hyuk
The first line grabbed his eyes.
"Joo Se-ah's the guild master here?"
Hunters demonized her as a witch or disaster, but civilians loved her flashy record and idol-beating looks.
High recognition boosted credibility, even for non-insiders.
Next line made him rub his eyes.
"Expedition leader? They have that position?"
So he hadn't misheard.
And the name rang a bell.
Park Chung-su searched news for "Kang Moo-hyuk."
"Titan Guild strategic team leader... non-hunter? Holy shit! Not even a hunter, let alone expedition leader?"
Realizing Kang Moo-hyuk's identity, he knew this wasn't just a simple relocation.
Why no headlines? Scoop of the century!
Two possibilities.
Guild hushed it, or Taeseong wasn't headline material.
Or both.
"This is gonna stir shit up."
As shock lingered, colleagues trickled back.
His section chief among them.
Don't judge. No greed. Civil servant life's steady—long and thin. Just report and follow orders.
Park Chung-su cautiously briefed his chief.
"Chief, Taeseong Guild just applied for North Pocheon territory."
* * *
After notifying the Ministry of the Interior about relocation, Kang Moo-hyuk moved fast.
Straight to the next phase.
"To fail big, we go big. Proceed as I outlined, Director Tae Su-man?"
—That'll cost a pretty penny.
"I'll squeeze within the margin I mentioned. You handle the rest."
—Even I can't swing headquarters funds in the hundreds of billions lightly.
"Alone, sure. But can your brothers weather the fallout from Joo Se-ah storming HQ? Pitch that—they'll make it happen."
Silence on the line.
Kang Moo-hyuk waited patiently.
Finally:
—On second thought, I can handle it. Proceed.
"Thank you. I'll visit soon."
Call ended. Joo Se-ah sat arms crossed before him.
"You're really doing it solo?"
"Looks like."
"Why? Share the risk, dummy. This makes no sense."
"Solo means solo spoils."
"What good's swallowing a trash guild like this... Er, a nobody in the group?"
"Corporate guilds can do more than you think. Laughingstock in the industry, though."
"Like what?"
"You'll learn. Study up. I got a meeting."
As Kang Moo-hyuk rose to leave, Joo Se-ah called out.
"That really gonna work?"
He glanced at the ceiling, gathering thoughts.
"First time trying. No guarantees."
"No confidence? That's gambling."
"Might need beginner's luck."
"Ugh, now I'm nervous."
"Normal ways won't normalize in six months. Time for bold moves. All-in for success."
Joo Se-ah scowled, waving him off.
"Nail the meeting. Say hi to their vice master."
"Meeting the guild master today."
"He show up without the vice kicking up?"
"Good point."
* * *
Familiar lobby. Unfamiliar logo on the desk.
"Logo... Remodeled, huh?"
From simple gold satellite to a stylized giant fist with English.
He hated it.
Nothing like his original plan.
"Tacky."
No time to reminisce—ties cut, but forging new ones.
"Kang Moo-hyuk. Meeting with the guild master."
"Yes, we know, Team Leader. Oh, wait—not anymore?"
The guard greeted warmly, recognizing him.
Passing staff, glancing hunters—they still saw him as strategic team leader.
"Your pass."
Kang Moo-hyuk vanished into the elevator. Lobby buzzed.
"Team Leader Kang? What's he doing here? Shit, call Strategic."
"Party Leader, Kang Moo-hyuk's seeing the guild master... Yeah, ex-team leader. Know he's not ours anymore."
"Kang Moo-hyuk headed to the guild master's office. Should tell the vice."
Members buzzed to superiors.
His mere appearance sparked rumors. Meanwhile, Kang Moo-hyuk faced Titan Guild Master Lee Cheol-jung.
"Long time. Surprised by your call. Feeling better?"
"Much."
"Figured. Wouldn't show otherwise. So, Taeseong Guild now?"
"Yes."
Lee Cheol-jung inwardly smacked his lips at Kang Moo-hyuk's unflappable calm despite his clear displeasure.
"Won't humor my whining at all."
"I trust you handle it."
"Grateful, but my position's shaky."
"Vice master's fault?"
"Troublesome guy. Pre-Seoul was simpler—just hunt monsters. Now we're both scheming."
Kang Moo-hyuk knew Lee Cheol-jung's bind: not losing, but not dominating.
Half a year back, Ma Tae-sik's blunder gave momentum, but vice master's politics evened it to 50-50.
Kang Moo-hyuk's call too.
Agreed with Joo Se-ah to release Ma Tae-sik pre-mana addiction treatment.
Ma Tae-sik leveraged board girlfriend Kim Yang-hee for Ma Tae-soo; Lee Cheol-jung fought a hostile board.
Joo Se-ah got a two-month vice; Kang Moo-hyuk barred from Titan return. Butterfly effect landed him at Taeseong—irony.
Kang Moo-hyuk rummaged his briefcase, sliding a slim booklet to sighing Lee Cheol-jung.
"What's this?"
"Proposal to help you, Guild Master."
Lee Cheol-jung flipped the cover cautiously.
[C Warehouse Acquisition Proposal]