#327. Captain, You're Really Rotten.
“Me?”
“Igor Dudnik. When the guild master fought the Tyrant. That's when you completely scaled that wall you were barely clinging to.”
Joo Se-ah immediately grasped what Kang Moo-hyuk meant.
“So you're saying Seong Seon-je has become an S-rank? And he's poking at Miraju to confirm it?”
“It might be right on the verge. Or maybe he's just checking if he's crossed it. Or he could be using a clash with an S-rank as leverage to break through a wall he hasn't fully surmounted yet, like the guild master.”
“Or what if he hasn't even touched the wall yet and just charges in deluded? That'd be the end of him.”
It was a reckless challenge. Joo Se-ah herself had been guaranteed by the World Hunter Federation's elf, Aila Priga, but she'd had no choice but to clash with the Tyrant in Russia.
It had turned out well, letting her fully realize her S-rank power and wield it. But it could easily have spiraled into the worst outcome—a perilous moment.
“Hold on. Speaking of which, how does Seong Seon-je even know about what happened in Russia? Did you tell him, Captain?”
“After the Sinuiju incident, Team Leader Seong Seon-je showed a lot of interest in the circumstances of the guild master's ascension to S-rank. I never told him myself, but a team leader like him would've dug into the guild master's movements. He already knew the Tyrant had been with us in the Makyung, so he'd focus there.”
Kang Moo-hyuk phrased it as speculation, but it was certainty.
The source was Mr. Jo.
While shaking off Slayer's pursuit, they'd reverse-tracked them and discovered an intelligence line pinned on Vladivostok.
It had been passed to Kang Moo-hyuk, who investigated via the Char Guild.
Building on that, Kang Moo-hyuk elaborated his view to Joo Se-ah.
“Once he learned of the guild master's fight with the Tyrant, Seong Seon-je must've concluded that battling an S-rank is the surest way to break through the wall. He's smart, but he still has a hunter's mindset. Hunters weigh the merits of reckless challenges and their rewards—and tend to pick the latter.”
Joo Se-ah couldn't deny it. Hunters were professionals who chased risks for gains. High-rank hunters especially calculated the value hidden behind dangers all the better.
Exaggerating a bit, S-ranks were true superhumans—perhaps even godlike—so they were worth the risk.
What hunter could resist adventuring with an S-rank right in front of them?
Joo Se-ah understood Seong Seon-je's desperate mindset even more viscerally than Kang Moo-hyuk's phrasing.
“Yeah, I'd have done the same. I fully climbed to S-rank thanks to that fluke fight. But it's still dangerous. I had a tough body to endure it, but Seong Seon-je... he'd die before even crossing the wall.”
“You're more worried about Team Leader Seong Seon-je than I expected. Old colleague vibes?”
“I don't like the guy, but I know Slayer's a bulwark protecting Korea's hunters. Without him, they're half-baked. Better a solid rival than a fallen one, even if we hate each other.”
“The big picture, then.”
“Yeah. That. The 'big picture' you always talk about, Captain Kang.”
“Then let's view this through the big picture too.”
“What're you saying?”
Kang Moo-hyuk placed both hands on the table, fingertips touching to form a steeple as he spoke.
“Assume Team Leader Seong Seon-je is really stirring up Miraju to lure out Illution—and act on that.”
“Say it simpler.”
“When Team Leader Seong Seon-je faces danger, that's the guild master's chance. Big picture: save Seong, catch Illution.”
“!!”
Joo Se-ah's mouth fell open in a half-laugh, half-groan. She finally let out a sigh.
“Use Seong Seon-je as bait to snag Illution? What if he stays put?”
“If Team Leader Seong doesn't move, that's fine too. We're not even on Miraju's tail right now anyway.”
“You are looking, right?”
“Ah? Things blew up suddenly, so I haven't reported yet. Mr. Jo's included in this merger deal. He's operating as our hidden intel asset outside the guild. Fingers crossed for good news soon.”
“Mr. Jo. That guy's... yeah, skills are legit. Solid pickup. Alright, where do I start?”
“Simple. Call Slayer, ask for Team Leader Seong Seon-je. If not, Mr. Jo'll help.”
Kang Moo-hyuk pulled over a memo pad and jotted a number.
“New office contact. Tell 'em the situation—they'll update you on Seong Seon-je's movements and such.”
“You know the number two of Slayer Guild's movements?”
“Hunters over-rely on skills, surprisingly blind to old-school methods.”
“Old-school?”
“GPS on Team Leader Seong Seon-je's car. Mr. Jo's handiwork.”
Joo Se-ah looked genuinely flustered this time.
“If they catch that, blood spills—you know that, right?”
“Doesn't matter if they catch it. As long as they don't know who. Actually, if they do, it's better. They'll suspect Japan first. No downside for us.”
“Whoa, you're really rotten.”
“Guild master's take?”
“Nah, just putting myself in Slayer's and the Japanese's shoes.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“Not a compliment.”
“Nothing sweeter than your enemies cursing you. Means they're hurting. Their hate's my stress relief.”
Joo Se-ah smiled in disbelief, holding up an index finger.
“One more time: Captain, you're really rotten.”
Contrary to Kang Moo-hyuk's words, Gwan Hong moved not at night, but in broad daylight—blatantly on the highway, not backroads.
He even made sure to get caught on the cameras lining the roads.
All CCTV on roads to Beijing is shared straight with the Huanglong Guild.
It was Gwan Hong's own handiwork, rigging the public security net for partial access.
Knowing that, he'd deliberately exposed his position heading to Shandong Province.
The surveillance net I designed myself—parading south through it should have the Huanglong Guild in quite the uproar by now.
Indeed, Huanglong Guild was thrown into chaos, just as Gwan Hong predicted.
The man himself was a high-rank hunter specialized in intel and ops.
All their major operations had sprung from his mind—and mostly succeeded.
With him leaving tracks, they couldn't rashly respond without knowing his game.
This buys some time. If they overthink it, maybe till dawn. Huanglong's not full of idiots. Pity.
It looked like a leisurely drive, but a tense game of reading each other's hands was underway.
Meanwhile, at Huanglong Guild, once they confirmed Gwan Hong entering Dezhou City, they couldn't wait any longer.
He had to be handled before delving deep into Shandong.
Operations Chief Zhao Kerzhi, dominating the situation room, made the call.
“Tell the field team: handle it in Dezhou.”
Gwan Hong found a red-light district just off Decheng District, Dezhou City's municipal seat.
It looked like a haven for moneyed moths seeking fun and revelry, but really it was a playground for spies from Hebei and Shandong provinces.
The streets were quiet in the midday lull, but with evening nearing, shops bustled preparing to open.
Gwan Hong slipped into a narrow alley, locating a dive bar tucked in a corner no casual would find.
“Welc…ome.”
“Been a while.”
The owner wordlessly checked outside from the entrance.
“No tail.”
At Gwan Hong's words, the owner hung a closed sign, locked up, drew curtains over the back window to block views, and returned with a bottle.
“One shot?”
“You know I don't drink.”
“You might need it to stomach this.”
“Word spread here already?”
“Quiet on the surface, buzzing underneath. HQ's hunting you? And you crawl into Shandong? Why? Think you'll survive here?”
“That's why I'm seeing big bro.”
“Ha? Big bro?!”
The owner chugged straight from the bottle.
Harsh stuff, but no buzz—just mood-lifting.
“Hunters drinking—what's the point? Can't even get drunk. Waste of booze.”
“Got enough nagging from the wife.”
“You're not married.”
“That wife's that wife?”
“Ah, HQ?”
“So why're you here? Spit it out straight, or I call HQ now.”
“You're not calling now either.”
“Damn, if I didn't owe you, phone would've been first.”
“That's why I'm here.”
“Business only. Quick.”
Gwan Hong leaned over the counter, murmuring conspiratorially.
“Need combat gear.”
“Gear? Type 1, 2?”
Gwan Hong shook his head.
“Type 3, obviously. Not for monsters.”
“Type 3 means hunting people? Gonna throw down with Huanglong? Or the alliance?”
“Gotta protect myself at least.”
The owner sighed.
“Plan? Guarding's good once or twice. Ends in capture or death.”
“Can't just take the knife lying down. Resist till I can't.”
Gwan Hong's resolve made the owner scratch his head.
“No Type 3. Need HQ-linked computer to adjust inventory and unlock the tank.”
“You diverted some during ops, wrote 'em off.”
“Knew and asked anyway?”
“Pretended not to know. This is Dezhou. Knew it'd come in handy someday. Didn't think I'd use it.”
“You're exhausting.”
The owner opened a corner drawer, handing over a business card. Gwan Hong eyed it: just address and number, no org or name.
“Go. Gear up moderately.”
“Thanks.”
“Debt's cleared. Don't show again.”
“Never thought you owed me.”
“Don't tie me up like that. You're a cut kite now. No more handouts.”
“Shame. Stay healthy. If helping me leaks, say I blackmailed you with your weakness. Tried to kill you too.”
“Would've anyway.”
Gwan Hong waved and left.
The owner grabbed the receiver.
“He just left. Handle the rest yourselves.”