#303. Whistity!
"What? You blew it up?! Who did?!"
"The... expedition leader, sir..."
"You said not everyone made it out, so why the hell did he blow it?! Who was the last hunter left behind?!"
"S-Seo Dae-gil Hunter."
Bam!
Kang Moo-hyuk slammed his fist on the desk.
He was well aware of the gap between the field and the command center. Raids deviated from plans the moment they were set, and monsters always exceeded expectations.
That was why he'd prepared this raid with a focus on communication between the field and headquarters.
He'd even assembled dedicated teams to tackle unexpected issues from every angle.
But the field's unilateral decision had ruined everything. They'd pushed ahead with the plan without consulting command.
If the expedition leader had been an experienced hunter, Kang Moo-hyuk might have trusted his judgment. The problem was that this leader wasn't his pick.
Guild politics had forced a promising but green hunter into the role.
The operators assumed Kang Moo-hyuk was furious because the leader had ignored his orders.
But what truly enraged him was Seo Dae-gil's fate. He'd sensed the grim outcome, and that's what ignited his frustration.
It was the first time Kang Moo-hyuk, who'd maintained a 100% survival rate as team leader, had lost a hunter.
He clenched his fist, trying to steady the tremor.
Finally suppressing his rage, he spoke calmly.
"The raid?"
"Cleared. The falling boss took such heavy damage it barely fought back. We got it down with just two minor injuries."
"Tell them to prioritize rescue over cleanup."
"Um..."
"Something to say, deputy team leader?"
"The mana stone mine exploded. No hunter could survive that. As tragic as it is, shouldn't we secure the boss byproducts and items first...?"
Kang Moo-hyuk strode over and ripped the Titan logo pin from the deputy's collar.
"We don't abandon comrades. Don't assume he's dead. Until we recover the body, he's alive. Prioritize loot? I don't work with scum like that. Submit your resignation. The deputy spot stays vacant for now."
The deputy protested his innocence, but Kang Moo-hyuk ignored him.
The ops room filled only with the operators' silence, keyboard clacks, and the deputy's shouts.
Kang Moo-hyuk stared at the screens, unflinching.
"Tell the field to save him somehow! If he's gone, at least bring back the body!"
Kang Moo-hyuk opened his eyes.
"Not sleeping more?"
Bae Ki-tae, right-hand man to Hunter Association Chairman Han Byung-gu, glanced back via the rearview mirror.
Kang Moo-hyuk was touring the nation to inspect Great War legacies.
Normally Han Byung-gu joined, but he'd been tied up in the National Assembly pushing the guild rights reform bill Kang Moo-hyuk had requested.
Bae Ki-tae was filling in as guide.
Embarrassed at dozing off, Kang Moo-hyuk asked, "Did I just fall asleep?"
"Yes. You were out cold. Must be exhausted."
"Sorry. You must be the tired one, driving."
"Nah, I'm just holding the wheel. And I'm a hunter—no fatigue from this. You're the one suffering, Leader."
"Doesn't happen often to me. Nightmares lately kept me up, so I nodded off."
Kang Moo-hyuk rubbed his dry face and eyes. Bae Ki-tae nodded.
"Ah, so you had a nightmare?"
"Nightmare?"
"You were mumbling and flailing the whole time."
Kang Moo-hyuk recalled the dream and froze.
"More like... old regrets resurfacing."
He exhaled the words and gazed out the window. The barren highway scenery rushed by. He watched in silence.
Sensing the mood drop, Bae Ki-tae stayed quiet.
Lately, dreams were rare. Why Seo Dae-gil now...?
It was nearly six years ago.
He'd thought it buried, but memories like that popped up occasionally from deep storage.
Kang Moo-hyuk pictured Seo Dae-gil. Strangely, his face wouldn't come.
His memory rivaled a computer's—forgetting a face was impossible.
He closed his eyes, straining to recall, but nothing. Instead, someone resembling him surfaced.
Seo Dae-chi...
His younger brother's face was crystal clear—Iron Will's current member.
Kang Moo-hyuk had promised Seo Dae-gil to recruit the brother to Titan Guild, pending evaluation. With standout awakening scores that year, entry was all but assured barring disaster.
But Seo Dae-chi never joined Titan. Because of Seo Dae-gil's death.
Years later, when Kang Moo-hyuk brought him to Iron Will, it wasn't to honor the brotherly promise.
Rather, it was a promise to Seo Dae-chi himself.
He'd personally delivered the brother's effects. During that meeting, he'd offered Titan entry.
Seo Dae-chi refused, furious at the guild's casual attitude toward hunter sacrifices.
Kang Moo-hyuk respected that but didn't let it go.
He proposed again, and per that deal, Seo Dae-chi had finally joined Iron Will.
Thinking of Seo Dae-chi brought back Seo Dae-gil.
Seo Dae-gil Hunter... your brother will become an outstanding hunter.
In his own way, Kang Moo-hyuk honored the dead.
Making Seo Dae-chi a proper hunter was his tribute.
"Table Mountain Raid... I had no idea about that backstory. So you recruited Seo Dae-chi because of it, Leader? To keep a promise to his dead brother?"
Go Eul-ji clasped her hands, eyes sparkling with emotion.
Pyo Beom-hee chuckled and shook her head.
"Recruiting a sibling on someone's request? Come on, that's not our Leader."
"True."
"Sure, he'd nurture even unpromising sprouts, but he doesn't hand stuff out for free."
"Not that generous, huh."
"Not heartless either. Acts ice-cold, but he's got a soft spot. Look at these two—he keeps 'em around."
Pyo Beom-hee pointed at No Song-rin and Go Eul-ji. They bristled.
"What's that supposed to mean?! No one's as talented as me—that's why Leader re-signed me."
"Where else would you find a guild worker like me, Team Leader Pyo?"
Pyo Beom-hee widened her eyes like they were clueless.
"Obviously to spare other guilds the headache. Who could handle your baggage? Leader cleans up your messes."
"Ah."
"Yeah, finding a vessel for me ain't easy."
They nodded readily.
Pyo Beom-hee continued.
"Raid failure stemmed from guild infighting forcing an inexperienced, neutral expedition leader—and poor real-time comms between inside and outside. After, Leader developed gate-piercing tech. With that, no Seo Dae-gil sacrifice. That's C Warehouse's origin."
Her tale ended. Go Eul-ji followed up.
"If not the promise, why bring Seo Dae-chi to Iron Will? Must be awkward for Leader—seeing him recalls the brother and that mess. Even without bad intent, I'd keep my distance."
"How do you all see Seo Dae-chi?"
Pyo Beom-hee suddenly polled opinions.
No Song-rin spoke first.
"Haven't met him, but rumors ain't flattering. Freelance days: trash, janitor, money-grubber."
"You know it well?"
"No need to dig. Few infamous freelancers. Bad reps sell."
"Eul-ji? You teamed with him in Lee Jin-joo's Northeast defense expedition."
Go Eul-ji differed from No Song-rin.
"Trash? Dunno. Fights well, though."
"And?"
"Always up front."
"That's it?"
"His party rarely gets hurt. Sharp danger sense—no overreaching. Doesn't hold back, either."
"Beyond skill?"
"Rough, blunt talker. Not hateable, though. Never heard direct gripes around him. Sure, some hate, but no hunter's hate-free. Normal amount."
"Exactly."
Go Eul-ji's unbiased take drew applause from Pyo Beom-hee.
"If Seo Dae-chi were real trash, would Leader recruit him? Folks don't get it—Leader picks hunters vengeful against monsters or driven by clear motives, profit or greater good. Seo Dae-chi ties to Seo Dae-gil but not the reason. Solid motivation, skills, future potential."
"Promising guy stabs a teammate over enlistment motive?"
No Song-rin snorted.
Go Eul-ji perked up.
"Stabbed with a knife?"
"Orc tribe war? When you dam-busted and drowned 'em."
"Shoulda stayed out. Why'd I show and jinx it?"
"Anyway, pre-war, a dozen orcs infiltrated Nampocheon. Argument escalated; words failed, so Seo Dae-chi knifed Baek Seong-bin, put a hole in him. Got ostracized by enlistment buddies after."
"Whoa! Looks deceive. Why stab?"
Pyo Beom-hee fielded this.
"Backstory there too."
"What?"
"Ask Lee Jin-joo."
"Why her?"
"Seo Dae-chi's confidante. They talked it out. Fun story."
"Just tell me."
"Better from the source."
"Feels like a quest. Fine, I'll ask. Uncle No, let's go."
Go Eul-ji trudged off wearily.
No Song-rin paused at the door.
"Team Leader Pyo."
"Yeah?"
"Feels like gaps, but one thing: Does this still hurt Leader?"
"Dunno if scar, but he never wants repeat."
"One more, since we're at it."
"Two's fine."
"Okay for us to know? Poking Leader's past feels iffy."
"Wondered if I should share, but felt right. Why you wanna know, Party Leader No? Spy work?"
"Ugh, that Sinuiju crap again?! Not a spy—ditched Kim Myeong-jun ages ago."
"Defecting now?"
"Defect or not, can't double-agent anymore. Everyone knows."
"Good answer."
Pyo Beom-hee's sly grin wrinkled No Song-rin's nose as he turned.
"Titan alums are sly as hell."
Incheon International Airport.
"Whoa! This Korea?"
A foreigner with natural curly brown hair wheeled his trunk into arrivals.
The spot from TV recently.
"Joo Se-ah punked the US here? Damn, badass. One word shakes France and America, hunter superpowers."
He spread his arms wide, gazing at the ceiling, sniffing.
"Sniiff~ Smells like it. Freedom's scent. Can spark freedom and revolution here too. Nice. For Mirage's Korea debut, selfie?"
Click! Click!
"Whistity!"