Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Scrap Dealer Contract
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A car pulled up outside the window, and someone unloaded a case from it.
"Hold on a sec—I'll go grab the item."
He returned moments later and opened the case.
"Sleeve-type shoulder protector. The outer shell..."
He fetched a drill, pressed it right against the shoulder protector, and hit the button. There was a harsh grinding noise—kaga-gaga-gak—but no damage to the protector.
"Hunters move around a lot on the job, right? This prevents shoulders from popping out and that sort of thing."
It looked a lot like those shoulder braces athletes wear to guard against injuries. The only downside was that it only covered one shoulder.
Inside the protector was a simple mechanism for storing emergency meds you could use in a pinch, with a button for instant injection.
"Pretty solid, huh? If it's not your style, sell it off, and we'll wire you the full amount minus processing fees."
I nodded at Choi Seung-gi's words.
"I'll cover the processing costs and extra fees and keep it."
"Nah, no need. You haven't gotten your cut from that yet, have you, Hunter Yoo Chan-seok?"
It hadn't been that long since the Gyodongdo mess wrapped up, after all.
"If we pocket that, it covers the processing and fees for us."
Choi Seung-gi let out a relieved breath and flashed a toothy grin as he patted his chest.
"Whew, glad that's settled. Was worried I'd come off too pushy."
Not pushy at all. I needed extra gear anyway. Still, one thing bugged me.
"Even if you prepped this, I might not sign with you guys."
He shrugged at my comment.
"Then it'd just be a welcome gift. Newbie hunters are always scrambling for equipment."
As he spoke, he snuck a glance my way.
"I won't sweat it."
Selling scraps from monster corpses off a Grade 3 Erosion Core wouldn't net a fortune anyway.
Snagging a sturdy piece of gear like this? I came out ahead.
"Now that I've got my gift, let's talk contract."
Choi Seung-gi let out an "ah" and turned to me.
"Starting with the big one: the split. We'd like 30%."
"That's higher than the standard scrap dealer cut."
He nodded.
"Think of it as our growing share building more trust."
"What do you mean?"
He swallowed hard and stirred the ice in his glass with the straw.
"My philosophy is, folks with full bellies don't turn traitor easy."
"Can't argue with that."
Loyalty and trust scale with the payout. You can't buy undying devotion on pocket change.
"For that higher cut, we never touch your spoils. Honestly, even at 30%, the company's take matches what other firms get."
"So the rest goes to your recovery crews?"
He nodded again.
"Diverting hunter spoils means black market runs most times. Pay 'em enough, and no fool risks jail for scraps."
Made sense. The contract laid it out clear: company's share, dispatch crew's share.
"There's a solid reason for our 30% ask. It's not just nickel-and-diming for extra cash."
"Feels like why you came in person too."
He shook his head.
"Different reason. We really want you, Hunter Yoo Chan-seok."
"Sweet talk."
He burst out laughing, then got serious again.
"Please sign with us. We're no Blue Wrench size-wise, but we hold our own in this biz."
"Coming in so humble puts you at a disadvantage, no?"
"Yeah, it does. We're not number one. And you're prime recruit material among fresh hunters."
Hard to argue when he owned it like that. And he wasn't wrong.
"Scrap dealers and hunters? Once contracted, it's usually for life unless something goes south."
Built on mutual trust. Find a reliable one, no reason to switch. Meaning, if they didn't hook me now, they might never get the shot.
"How about 40% split, three-month short-term to start?"
He looked up at me.
"Short-term..."
"Just testing the fit."
The split wasn't make-or-break for three months. If it sucked working together, a long lock-in would be worse.
Like buying ingredients. Cheapest per kilo onion sack? Doesn't mean jack if it rots before you eat it solo.
Go high-split short-term, see if it clicks, then long-term at their 30% if it does.
"Got it. Not how it's usually done, but."
Choi Seung-gi thumped his chest and his eyes gleamed.
"I'll make you want the long haul."
"Hoping you do. Hunting a new scrap dealer later sounds like a pain."
We drew up the contract right then. Afterward, he handed me something—a gun-shaped chip implanter like Kim Min-je had used for marking.
"Holds 150 microchips built-in, plus 150 extras for emergencies. Run dry, just call—we'll ship more."
"Looking forward to working together."
Scrap dealer locked in. Oduak voucher as bonus. Solid meeting all around.
Only thing left: Tsushima. Contract done, I packed up and headed to link with Han Sang-ah.
Obvious as it sounds, there were no ferries to Tsushima.
None at all. With a Grade 2 Erosion Core squatting there, no sane civilian boat was heading that way.
So, we needed Busan Coast Guard backup.
"Thanks for the cooperation."
"No, the honor's ours to help."
Name value. Whatever the reason, I was media-famous now. Part of why I was chasing fame.
Normally, it'd be endless questions and red tape, but recognition cut through most of it.
They promised a boat to Geoje. I linked up with Han Sang-ah.
"You're looking sharp."
She pulled a face like she didn't know how to respond.
"Wasn't fishing for an answer."
After linking with Han Sang-ah, we headed to Geoje High School. Port was right nearby, so we could hop the Coast Guard boat the second we wrapped up.
At the school entrance, waiting folks' eyes locked on us. All looked pretty aged up—the youngest were pushing late forties.
"Truly grateful for your help."
"Hey, old man Hyun—isn't that the guy from TV?"
A grandpa clutching a makgeolli bottle spotted me and nudged the one next to him.
"Yep."
As murmurs rippled through the crowd, a few stepped up and gripped my hands tight.
"My kin went out to sea and ain't come back..."
Unlike the TV whispers, these faces were raw desperation.
"First off, one thing we gotta clear up."
About fifty people zeroed in on me.
"I need to know exactly what you want."
"What kinda talk is that?"
Simple.
"Clear the Erosion Core, or rescue the captives. If it's gotta be one or the other, where do I focus?"
Priority call. Sometimes you can only pull off one.
What then?
Silence fell, folks glancing sideways. That's when it clicked fully.
Two camps here, big picture.
Families with relatives nabbed on Tsushima, and fishermen too spooked to sail since.
Tell from faces alone. Some glaring daggers, others mumbling and peeking nervously.
No point dragging it out. I moved to the next question.
"How do you know they're captives? Alive?"
Odds were higher they'd croaked.
"One escaped. Think it was Jeje Island? Baek Hospital? Got hauled there."
From the survivor testimony, sounded like the captured fishermen were still kicking.
Probably true, that part.
"Even if not, recovering bodies would give some peace."
Around seventeen nodded. Rest? The scared sailors.
"To cut losses, smash that monster hole first, yeah?"
"What're you saying? Folks taken there all die then!"
I cleared my throat sharp before the bickering blew up.
"I get the situation."
My call anyway. They weren't grabbing weapons, sailing out, slaughtering monsters, and hauling kin back.
"Yeah, yeah—trust the great Hunter Yoo to handle it right. Got faith."
I cracked a wry inner smile at that.
"Rescuing survivors first. If none, secure the bodies."
Coast Guard coop was set. Ferry any survivors or remains to Geoje priority, tackle the core after.
"Hey, dead can wait—living come first! Crabs are prime season, can't sail or..."
"Who gives a damn about your damn crabs right now?!"
At it again. I reined them in.
"I'll do my utmost."
"But seriously—these two can pull it off?"