Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: A New Encounter Awaits
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"Hmm-hmm♪ Hee-hee-hmm♪ Hmm-hmm♪"
I hummed along while gazing at the scenery flashing by outside the window.
Wonder how much longer until we get there?
Dance, dance.
Chomper in the seat next to me was swaying along to my tune.
With the seatbelt on tight, no worries even if it wiggled around.
Since it had been getting stuffy, we'd agreed to sit separately from now on.
"Miss Chorok, you seem really excited."
Officer Bong Seonhwa glanced back at me through the rearview mirror, a pleased smile on her face.
Well, yeah, I was buzzing with energy. How could I not be?
"Is it that obvious? I'm pumped to meet my new buddy!"
"Hee-hee... You're really looking forward to it. We're almost there, perfect timing."
"Yay!"
Today was the day for the Hunter Industry Expo.
Seo Ah's grandpa had given me an invitation to the industrial zone... or something like that.
The vine seed was supposedly at the Yuseong Pharmaceuticals booth.
When I told him I wanted to check if it was really his friend's, he'd happily given the okay.
So here we were, riding in Officer Bong Seonhwa's car.
My heart was racing at the thought of meeting my new pal. I barely slept a wink last night.
The last time I'd been this hyped? Probably back at the orphanage on a field trip day.
That was an expo too—a robot one. I'd been too excited to sleep the night before.
Maybe I should jot down a diary entry before we arrive.
Since we're nearly there, might as well kill time by browsing Behind.
Wanna share this vibe with everyone there too.
[Today Make an Effort: Day 638]
Author: Yeon Chorok
I'm heading to the expo today?
My buddy's grandpa gave me an invite to the industrial zone thingy!
But what kinda stuff can you see there?
?
You got an invite?
She doesn't even list a guild. How'd she score that?
┗ For real;;;
Out of all your BS so far, this one's the hardest to buy... What, is your friend's grandpa like the organizer or something?
It's true though?
No way;;;
Everyone's really doubting this one.
Especially that annoying jerk who always calls me out—he commented again.
I'm there this morning and you're talking nonsense lol
┗┗ 【Myeongrim】JH: Total BS, sigh. Playing with a liar and now I'm the perv;; Wtf
Ding!
I was about to reply that I was sulking from all the liar teasing when a notification pinged.
【Myeongrim】JH has requested a 1:1 chat.
Huh? Comments like that and now this out of nowhere?
Curiosity piqued, I hit accept.
Are you seriously coming?
For real, I swear!
Ugh, can't believe it. At least snap a pic of the invite.
I'd just snapped a quick pic and uploaded it.
Time to prove I'm not lying for once!
Holy crap
For real;;;
Which booth you hitting?
Feels like we'll bump into each other even if we try not to lol
"Miss Chorok, want to check out some other spots too? Like the guild job fair booths—you could get a feel for them."
I was typing a reply when Officer Bong Seonhwa spoke up.
Job fair? I'd seen on Behind it was the best shot at joining a guild.
"Hmm... What's that like?"
"Various guilds set up 1:1 mock interviews, post new job openings for applications, and do promotions."
"So... do I gotta join a guild someday?"
"If you go pro as a hunter, yeah. But you've got time. Plenty of paths—Hunter Management Bureau's one, but let's save that for another day."
Not necessarily a guild, huh?
Could become a bureau civil servant like Officer Bong Seonhwa?
Hmm... Not sure yet.
"Was that too much?"
"A little."
"We'll study bit by bit. Today, just peek at the guilds, what benefits and support they offer. Sound good?"
"Yep! Awesome."
Good to learn ahead.
That first day with Officer Bong Seonhwa, I got all starry-eyed over love calls and nearly got in trouble.
Ding!
While chatting, my phone pinged from lock screen.
What? Why no reply all sudden
Whoops. Forgot while talking to Officer Bong Seonhwa. Sorry!
sry sry was chatting with someone;;
Definitely hitting Yuseong Pharma? Got stuff to see there
Yuseong Pharma? Ok ok noted. If I spot you I'll say hi lol
How'll you recognize me tho?
You posted summon pics before
Oh
Right, I'd posted Chomper before.
"Miss Chorok, we're here. Get ready to get out."
"Okay!"
That annoying guy's actually gonna spot me, huh?
Job fair zone.
The spot we'd decided to check for studying with Officer Bong Seonhwa was packed.
"Ugh..."
I stood there dazed, cradling Chomper tight so it wouldn't get lost.
Around me, folks were scribbling away at resume stations.
Guild-named booths and wall posters drew crowds too.
"Too many people overwhelming you?"
"More like everyone's vibe feels intense."
Everyone had this cutthroat air?
Nothing like job hunting for part-time gigs back then.
"Shall we head somewhere quieter? We've got all the guild pamphlets—let's review those first."
"Sure!"
We slipped into an internal cafe right away.
Still busy, but less than the job fair.
"I'll order the drinks."
Hot chocolate for me. Americano for Officer Bong Seonhwa.
While waiting, I flipped through the pamphlets.
—Garim Guild: The Best Training Around!
—Summoners, This Way: Mireu, Korea's Largest Summoner Alliance.
—Leading Gate Clears: Asura!
—Myeongrim Stands at the Heart of Hunter Industry, Collaborating.
Hmm? Myeongrim... That's the prefix on that annoying guy's nick.
"What's the Myeongrim Guild like?"
"Myeongrim handles resources from gates—like ores and special materials supplied to companies. Key guild. They collaborate with Yuseong Group's guild too, which you know about."
A famous one, right?
Her explanation clicked perfectly.
"...So, pamphlets helping? Learning anything?"
"Lotsa fancy words, but I get the gist. Like common threads. Treatment based on hunter rank, or gotta work hard."
"Understanding that much is plenty. Good job."
Yay! Praise!
Head's all warm—glad I kept reading and getting it.
"But how do hunters even start a guild?"
Curious, I asked.
Even these grand guilds started with someone.
Me as guild master! Cough cough—sounds cool.
Everyone dreams of the top seat once.
"Meet requirements, get bureau approval. Some are solo guilds. Interested, Miss Chorok?"
"Kinda. Complicated?"
"Great. Next time, we'll study guild founding. For now, finish drinks and head to the industrial zone you wanted."
"Okay!"
Gulped my hot chocolate—tongue burned ouch, but sweet and yummy.
Next time, extra careful with hot drinks.
.
.
.
"Miss Chorok, put this around your neck."
Next stop: industrial zone.
Officer Bong Seonhwa came back from somewhere with a name-card lanyard for me.
"No ID card, no entry. Don't lose it."
"Got it! Chomper, if I drop it, you watch it good, okay?"
Nod, nod.
Chomper nodded from my arms.
It's extra quiet today with all the people.
"Now, to the Yuseong Pharmaceuticals booth you're excited for."
I trotted after Officer Bong Seonhwa.
Passed tons of cool stuff on the way.
Fancy weapons and armor in bright colors.
Even super long cannon things on display.
Names like Omega Supreme Hurricane Super Cannon Armstrong or whatever.
"This way, Miss Chorok. Lucky—it's quiet now."
"Wow!"
As expected from fancy Yuseong—even their pharma booth was lavish.
Like they'd set up a whole lab here?
Sliding doors whooshed open, and inside was a real research lab.
"...You've likely heard gate vegetation withers outside unlike monsters."
Suit-clad folks were presenting something.
Shiny blue-green tanks held rice-like plants, flowers, grasses.
"Yuseong Pharmaceuticals focuses on tech to preserve gate vegetation on-site. These are examples."
"Interesting."
"々."
"Bezüglich einer Geschäftsanfrage hierzu..."
"Myeongrim continues business collab on this tech..."
Wow! Not many, but foreigners too.
Koreans mixed in—how do they communicate?
"...Tests on drugs from this preservation tech showed 50% better effects than those from withered vegetation. Further, Yuseong Pharma is attempting cultivation based on it."
"?"
"Regrettably, no successes yet. But we're advancing to experimental preservation greenhouses where vegetation can live and grow."
Eeeh... Foreign languages mixed with Korean—super confusing.
I listen but don't get it...
Seo Ah said it'd be here.
My vine seed buddy.
Plant Empathy Lv.02
Where is it? I scanned around when text floated by my eyes.
"Huh, Miss Chorok?"
Over here. Come save me.
Save you? Me? Trapped or something?
I bolted toward the voice, ignoring Officer Bong Seonhwa.
There, like the presentation area, were rows of shiny blue-green tanks.
All filled with seeds inside.
One of these my vine seed?
Better look closer.
You came to find me.
The voice sharpened.
Definitely the seed in the center tank.
What now? Like with Chomper, touch it?
I gingerly pressed my palm to the tank.
Plant Growth Lv.EX
"Huh...?"
Green light rippled from my hand, soaking into the seed...
—KABOOM!
The infused seed thrashed, exploding the tank and shooting out a vine.
My queen. My mother. Long time no see.
"Eeeeek!?"
The vine whipped around my right arm in a flash.
【Le████'s Second Seed Unlocked】
Congratulations on the achievement!
Reward: Second Seed, Loyalty of ███ ██ Seeds
"Miss Chorok!"
"What happened?!"
"Was ist das?"
"What the hell just happened...? An explosion...?"
"! !"
"Visitor! Are you okay!?"
In that instant, Officer Bong Seonhwa and countless eyes turned to me amid the worry.
Ugh... Did I cause another mess...?