#300. Let's Go. Whatever Awaits at the End.
“What? C Warehouse? Why are you asking about that?”
Pyo Beom-hee’s sharp reaction hit Go Eul-ji and No Song-rin with the same vibe.
Oof! The scent of a female Kang Moo-hyuk...
Seeing them flinch, Pyo Beom-hee pressed again.
“So why are you curious about how the C Warehouse project got started?”
“Well, something the captain and An Team Leader said stuck with me. They mentioned some incident. As a ‘loyal subordinate,’ shouldn’t I know about it?”
No Song-rin didn’t buckle under her icy tone.
Ooh, so adults are adults after all? Not backing down from Team Leader Pyo. No’s got guts!
As Go Eul-ji’s eyes sparkled in admiration at his bold stance, the temperature in Pyo Beom-hee’s voice dropped another notch.
“You asked An Team Leader the same thing, right?”
“Yes.”
“What’d he say?”
“He said it wasn’t his place to tell and to ask the captain directly.”
“Let me correct that. Don’t ask Kang Captain either. No good comes from digging up the past. If you’re a real loyalist, just play dumb.”
“Mm, got it. Guess I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong. I’ll be off then.”
No Song-rin gave up cleanly and turned to leave. When Go Eul-ji glanced sideways, Pyo Beom-hee warned her.
“Eul-ji, you too. Don’t poke into useless stuff and just finish your high school life quietly. Pull another stunt like this, and next time there won’t even be broth left.”
“Hehe, don’t worry. I’ve disguised myself as a normie for over eight years. Trust me.”
Pyo Beom-hee shook her head.
“There are three things you can’t trust in our guild. One’s Guild Master Joo saying she’s sick. Another’s Captain Kang’s jokes. And the last is you behaving yourself.”
“I get the first two, but why Captain’s jokes...?”
“No one can believe he tells jokes that unfunny.”
“Aha? Instant understanding.”
“You’re on that level. You.”
“Hey, that’s a joke, right? Even I’m not as bad as the captain’s.”
“You think I’d joke around with you at my age? It’s a warning to watch yourself.”
No Song-rin chimed in, backing her up.
“Yeah, kid. If I were Team Leader Pyo, I’d be too busy with real worries. Huh? Listen up so she doesn’t get more wrinkles... Ack! Poison! Poison! Get that poison away! What’s your deal?!”
Poison mist erupted from Pyo Beom-hee’s Poison Well, enveloping No Song-rin in an instant. He flailed in panic.
Go Eul-ji, finding his plight satisfying, clicked her tongue with a sigh.
“Tsk tsk! Knew your mouth would get you in trouble someday, No. Why bring up her age? Especially when she’s sensitive about it. Just pretend you don’t see the wrinkles... Ack! Poison! Poison! Team Leader Pyo? Sis? Why me too?!”
Some of the mist split off from No Song-rin and targeted Go Eul-ji.
She tried to raise a barrier, but gave up under Pyo Beom-hee’s glare and threw her hands up.
Skill aside, Go Eul-ji instinctively cowered before Pyo Beom-hee. Especially since she was a VIP buddy of BTA—no way she’d rebel.
“Your mouth’s trouble too.”
After the ordeal, the two stumbled out of the communications team office, shuddering off the poison.
“So dirty and sneaky. Someday I’ll learn poison resistance.”
“Finding an item might be faster.”
They weren’t the type to quit after a beating.
Go Eul-ji suggested a plan B.
“Boss mob from the start was too much. We gotta tackle the small fries first.”
“Who?”
“Someone super easy.”
Go Eul-ji’s next stop was the operations team.
“Um... why me...?”
“Team Leader Gong Du-ri. We know everything, so spill honestly. No trouble then. Hehe.”
Go Eul-ji’s villainous grin and threat paled Gong Du-ri’s face as he spilled.
“I-It wasn’t my idea. Captain Kang ordered it. We hacked the Association server, but haven’t pulled all the data yet.”
“Association? Hacking?”
“That’s not why you’re here, Hunter Go Eul-ji?”
“Nope.”
“Then Guild Cooperation Office hack?”
“Not that either.”
“C’mon, even I wouldn’t touch Slayer... Tried, but failed... Not that?”
Shake shake.
“Then what?”
“The incident when Captain Kang started the C Warehouse project. Something blew up at Titan, leading to it. Wanna know what.”
Gong Du-ri sighed in relief, then whispered low, worried about blowback.
“Keep that hack quiet. Please? If Captain finds out I blabbed, I’m disciplined.”
“Just answer right, and we’re good. No need for ugly scenes.”
No Song-rin threatened in a voice lower than Gong Du-ri’s.
Go Eul-ji sided with Gong Du-ri, glaring at No Song-rin.
“Wow, so mean. We’re guildmates. No need to go that far.”
“Kid, you said the same ‘no trouble’ line earlier!”
“I meant it—no harm. But you with the ‘ugly scenes’?”
“Hey, let’s fight. Hitting me from behind like this? Why team up?”
“Joking, joking.”
“Captain’s jokes are better than yours.”
“Fight me, No.”
Gong Du-ri could only stare blankly at their forehead-to-forehead staring contest.
What are these people even doing? Hunters are bad news.
He finally mediated.
“I’ve got work... So what’s the question?”
Go Eul-ji snapped back.
“C Warehouse. Any incident when Captain Kang started it?”
Gong Du-ri pondered, then spoke.
“Dunno. Before I joined Titan, so... not much.”
“You heard rumors at least.”
“Just that they poured tons of money in with zero results. Folks called it the one blemish on Team Leader Kang—er, Captain’s—record.”
No gains from Gong Du-ri either. No Song-rin headed to the next target.
“Let’s hit someone who’s been with Captain Kang long enough, tied to C Warehouse, and calm.”
“Who?”
“Team Leader Yeom Soo-hyung.”
-Roooaaar!
“Sorry. Team Leader’s testing Gigant stage 3 trait... Not in his right mind. Might take days to recover.”
“......”
“......”
No Song-rin and Go Eul-ji trudged out of support team, shoulders slumped.
“Mm, give up?”
“Security this tight. Classic Captain Kang.”
But a breakthrough came unexpectedly.
“Wait. That guy’s here.”
“Who?”
No Song-rin pointed at Hyeon Jeong-geon passing by.
They approached and repeated their questions.
Hyeon Jeong-geon eyed them alternately.
“C Warehouse that interesting?”
“More like professional curiosity?”
No Song-rin scratched his head awkwardly.
“Why tell you? What’s so cute about it?”
“No’s ugliness is fact, but I qualify.”
Pfft!
“What’s that laugh? Wanna fight?”
As Go Eul-ji growled, ready to grab his collar, Hyeon Jeong-geon waved it off.
“No, no. Just found your antics cute.”
“What’s the angle? You were all killer intent last time.”
No Song-rin suspicious, Hyeon Jeong-geon explained.
“Not picking a fight. You saw—we promised no trouble with Captain. First time seeing guys this curious. Threw me off.”
“So you’ll tell? Or not?”
Go Eul-ji pushed. Hyeon Jeong-geon sighed.
“Weird spilling Captain’s past myself. Feels off for a subordinate.”
“Just say no. No need for long talk. Tch! Wasted time.”
“Can drop a hint to unravel it though.”
“Hint?”
Go Eul-ji perked up.
“Who’ve you asked so far?”
“An Ji-il Team Leader, Pyo Beom-hee Team Leader, Gong Du-ri Team Leader, Yeom Soo-hyung Team Leader. And you. Five total.”
No Song-rin counted on fingers.
Hyeon Jeong-geon nodded.
“Mm, hit all the usual suspects?”
“Yeah. Everyone who worked with Captain Kang. Hint outside guild? Hate searching out there.”
“Nah. Guild member. One more knows the incident.”
“Another ex-Titan? Who? Join date?”
“Not Titan. But involved.”
“Guild Master?”
“No. You wouldn’t know well. Maybe heard the name. Still a member.”
“Who? Stop dragging.”
“Found out checking hunter files after joining. Shocked me. Name’s... Seo Dae-chi, I think? Ring a bell?”
“Seo Dae-chi? Sounds familiar...”
As No Song-rin rummaged his memory, Go Eul-ji shot her hand up first.
“I know him! Reserve expedition hunter. Saw him a few times at the Northeast defense line.”
“Ah, right. The trash with bad rumors. Stabbed his own party member right after joining? Victim had healing factor, so it blew over, but lots of talk.”
“Weird calling Ujungdo alum trash.”
“Aren’t you reserve trash too?”
“Take that back.”
“You first.”
Hyeon Jeong-geon reined them in before another spat.
“Anyway, check Seo Dae-chi. Don’t ask direct. Might reach Captain fast.”
“Why would that trash’s name reach Captain?”
“Know he was scouted on Captain Kang Moo-hyuk’s personal pick?”
“Captain did? Not even high-rank, a problem child?”
“Figure it out. That’s all from me.”
Hyeon Jeong-geon cut off further questions and left. His sly smile as he turned felt off, but they couldn’t stop.
“Man, driving me nuts with curiosity.”
“Shouldn’t have started. No wonder An Team Leader warned us.”
“Quitting here?”
“You would?”
“Can’t quit on a feast.”
“Let’s go. Whatever awaits at the end.”
With the instructor unit recruitment wrapped, Kang Moo-hyuk headed north without time to check the rest of the Association’s legacies.
To make an acquisition offer to a guild on his mind.
“Never thought you’d come in person, Captain Kang Moo-hyuk.”
“We’ve only talked over the phone a few times. First face-to-face. I’ve wanted a frank chat with Guild Master Ma Pa-ram for a while. Regrettably, no time during the Northeast defense.”
“Sit. No proper guild building yet—cramped, but blocks the wind. Haha.”
The guild Kang Moo-hyuk visited was Nopsaebaram Guild, active in Hoiryeong City’s defense.
Back then, as the Tumen River line broke and hunters fled, they stayed till the end, saving countless lives.
Later shifted to Chongjin line, impressing Kang Moo-hyuk despite poor support.
But during Hoiryeong rebuild, Nopsaebaram got dropped from government aid.
Limited budget prioritized bigger guilds with higher merits.
Other regions got local comp, but Hoiryeong—northeast tip—had low pop and heavy damage, no funds left.
Many local guilds and hunters moved to Chongjin.
Makyung offered high rewards, but defense strained resources; Yalu River active, Tumen still scarred.
Nopsaebaram couldn’t even secure HQ, living in residential containers.
Late aid from Kang Moo-hyuk—guaranteeing their debts via Iron Will—kept them afloat.
“I should’ve visited first... Only took help, no time. Sorry. Sounds like excuse, but hunters fleeing left holes to fill.”
“Understood. Heard Tumen line’s thinned. I’m sorrier for the delay.”
Ma Pa-ram caught the subtle undercurrent.
Normally, no need for Kang Moo-hyuk to regret Tumen’s shortages—national issue, big guilds could share burden.
Iron Will—small, few high-ranks despite Joo Se-ah S-rank—couldn’t do much.
Obsessed with monsters, they say. Here with a proposal?
As guessed, Kang Moo-hyuk said.
“Looking to grow the guild. Propose merging Nopsaebaram. Full support for Hoiryeong defense. Gear, ampoule kits, skills. Become branch, we’ll get a building. Or build new. Terms: Inherit all Nopsaebaram hunters, including Guild Master.”