novelraw Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Chapter 64
The bayonet chased me for fifteen minutes. During that time, of course, Jung Oh-hoon continued firing his rifle at me. Only when the bayonet finally lost all of its thrust and clattered to the floor did I sweep back my hair with a hand.
“Ha. That was tough.”
“And I lost. Hunter Yoo Chan-seok, you really are a monster, just like the rumors say.”
I took a deep breath, then looked at him and spoke.
“From what I saw, you could probably pull that off three more times. If you’re interested, join us.”
Breathing heavily, he grinned at my words.
“You know something?”
Talking informally all of a sudden?
“What, that knife lying on the floor could still keep flying?”
The bayonet on the ground still held traces of mana. It could probably go after my life at least once more.
At my words, Jung Oh-hoon shut his mouth.
“Next time, just try it. Don’t talk first.”
What kind of idiot announces a surprise attack before doing it? God, unbelievable. Jung Oh-hoon let out a laugh and looked at me.
“I’ve never even tried a grade 1 Erosion Core before. And as you said yourself, the team you’re putting together isn’t a school.”
“Think of it like an internship.”
An intern and a student are different. Both learn something, but an intern gets paid while they learn, whereas a student pays to learn. The value is not the same.
At least, that’s what the idea of an internship is supposed to be. I know well enough how interns actually get treated.
Anyway, it looked like I managed to recruit one. I had planned on keeping the team small and elite. Even if I got just one Hunter out of more than 300, that wasn’t bad. And it’s not like he had to pay me for the privilege.
“Oh right, one thing I should tell you in advance. I’ll do anything for money.”
At those words, I fixed my gaze on him.
“Anything?”
He nodded.
“Most people call me ‘Jung O’hare’ these days.”
“That’s a memorable nickname.”
Still smiling, he explained,
“To put it simply, it means if I’m offered better pay elsewhere, I’ll drop you without hesitation.”
“I’m more curious as to why you are telling me that so honestly.”
“So you don’t whine later that I didn’t warn you.”
I clicked my tongue and spoke.
“They say there are a few stray cats in the association’s underground parking lot. I heard some of them even have kittens.”
“And?”
I clenched a fist, extended my thumb, then pointed it downward.
“Kill them all, then bring me their heads.”
At that, Jung Oh-hoon chuckled.
“You make it sound so dramatic for something like that. Sure, I’ll do it.”
He slung his rifle across his back. I smirked and spoke.
“Stop lying. You don’t actually do just anything for money.”
He froze and looked at me.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you really were someone who does anything for money, you wouldn’t have reacted like that.”
His expression turned cold.
“Oh really? Then how should I have reacted?”
“You should’ve asked how much I’d pay.”
Someone who lives only for money wouldn’t accept a job without confirming the price.
“You’re not someone who’ll do anything for money. You’re just pretending.”
I put a hand on his shoulder.
“You have another purpose. Money’s just a tool to get there. I don’t know what it is, and honestly, I don’t really care.”
People say if there are a hundred people, there are four hundred reasons to want money.
“Anyway, you’re in. Consider yourself accepted.”
Thinking it over, we did need a ranged Hunter. I fought with a spear, Han Sang-ah with a sword, and even if Lee Se-eun joined, she used a greatsword.
Jung Oh-hoon could provide supporting fire from kilometers away, and his firepower was solid. There was no reason to pass him up.
“What if I…”
“Hm?”
After I handed him my contact, he accepted it and asked,
“What if I had asked how much you’d pay?”
“Then I would’ve thought you really were a money-driven man. Nothing else would’ve changed.”
Of course, since he would have been someone who lived purely for money, I’d have had to adjust his pay accordingly. A Hunter like him wasn’t someone I wanted poached away.
“But character counts too, no?”
I snorted.
“I lived in Europe for a while, you know that, yes?”
“Yeah, who doesn’t know that.”
It was common knowledge. And in Europe, I saw the truth again with my own eyes.
“Those people once shouted about culture, refinement, political correctness, social justice. But now most Europeans would slit open a pregnant neighbor’s belly for a sack of dried garbage scraps.”
And that wasn’t because they were hypocrites or morally rotten.
“Character is like home decor.”
If you decorate nicely, the place looks great. People visit and praise you. You feel good about it yourself. You try new styles, remodel to fit the latest trends.
But none of it really helps you survive.
And when money runs short, home decor is the first thing people give up. A person’s character is the same.
“So in the end, you’re saying you despise character because it’s all hypocrisy?”
I gave him a look of disbelief.
“I never said I despise it. What’s wrong with making your home beautiful when you can afford it?”
What a strange guy. Why does he only think in extremes?
“When I have the luxury, I live kindly and try to be morally upright. When I don’t, I drop it. That’s all.”
Clinging to virtue and character even while starving to death? Those are the people I find terrifying. Like a lunatic saving his figurines while a nuclear bomb goes off.
“Fine, then what’s the pay?”
That was his next question. I smirked at him.
“Finally, money talk. You’ll get as much as you put in. We don’t take side jobs, we focus only on clearing Erosion Cores, so income comes from selling monster byproducts in Erosion Zones and from bounties on cores.”
And I planned to split that evenly.
“Normally I thought that kind of thing was based on performance.”
He asked after listening.
“If that was the case, I’d take too much that way, so I’m being generous. No need to thank me.”
At that, he let out a surprised reaction.
“You really are special huh.”
“If you really want, I can pay according to performance.”
But he shook his head quickly.
“I said you were special, I didn’t say you were wrong.”
I studied him and then spoke.
“Tomorrow, 9 a.m., Association training room 207. If you want in, be there.”
“Tomorrow?”
I nodded.
“With your current level, it’s not nearly enough.”
“Am I really that bad…? Ouch, harsh.”
He exaggerated, placing a hand over his chest with a mock-hurt face, then stuck up a thumb.
“Alright. See you tomorrow then.”
Jung Oh-hoon left. Watching him go, Han Sang-ah spoke to me.
“He’s a little weak.”
“That’s fine. I think I can raise him. Why, afraid he’ll catch up to you?”
At that, Han Sang-ah shook her head.
“I’m hungry. We didn’t eat properly after arriving in Donghae.”
“Your grandfather bought you ramen and kimbap.”
She replied,
“There was a commotion before I could finish. There’s a café branch of the Hut inside the Association building. I want something to eat there.”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten either. As we were walking toward food, someone in the distance waved at me.
“Hunter Yoo Chan-seok!”
I turned and saw Choi Seung-gi of Miracle Junk Shop in a suit, waving enthusiastically.
“President Choi Seung-gi.”
“My goodness, why is it so hard to see you? I’ve been waiting at the Association building for days.”
He then bent his head politely to Han Sang-ah.
“Ah, a pleasure to meet you. I’m Choi Seung-gi of Miracle Junk Shop. I have a contract with Hunter Yoo Chan-seok.”
Han Sang-ah nodded.
“Then I’ll consider you an ally.”
At that, Choi clenched a fist with fiery passion, pounding his chest.
“Of course! I’m running my shoes down to the soles, with a spirit of loyalty and devotion to the nation, all for Hunter Yoo Chan-seok!”
“So, what’s the matter? I already received the goods and the payment you sent.”
Smiling, Choi pulled something out.
“You see, after the two of you made such a stir, word spread all across Korea. And someone specifically asked to meet you…”
He handed me a business card.
“Sa Seung-hee?”
“She’s the owner of the Hut café franchise and runs the main branch.”
From Han Sang-ah’s look, she knew who this was. The main branch was in Ikseon-dong, Jongno. the Hut. What I knew was that the café only served Hunters and allowed them to bring up to three guests, members only.
Choi had even bought me a membership card before. So clearly he had some connection to this Sa Seung-hee.
“Why does she want to see me and Sang-ah?”
“That, I don’t know. But Sa Seung-hee is… slippery, like a snake… no, deep-minded.”
Snake-like, huh. At his words, I gave a small nod.
“She’ll at least feed us, right?”
We were hungry. At my words, Choi nodded quickly.
“The main branch is on another level. The owner makes everything herself. Ingredients never last more than a day.”
The café was open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but by afternoon, all the solid food was usually sold out.
“That’s true. My sister has been trying to recruit her for four years as a senior consultant for the Artois Hotel’s food division.”
Which meant she had failed. But it told me enough about how famous she was.
“Alright then.”
No way we’d get tricked with false promises of food again. At my answer, Choi lit up and immediately called someone.
“Let’s get going then.”
He led us toward the Hut main branch.
“Honestly, after hearing your interview in Donghae today, I felt relieved.”
“True, if I focused elsewhere, Miracle Junk Shop would be in trouble.”
At that, Choi laughed and scratched his head. Junk shops made money by salvaging valuable pieces from monsters in Erosion Zones.
But if the Hunters they contracted with didn’t go into Erosion Zones? That meant no supply, no income.
“So I wait, hoping Hunters will enter eventually, sometimes even begging them directly. That’s how I live.”
“You won’t need to worry about that when working with me.”
“That’s a huge relief.”
We talked like that, and before long, we arrived. Compared to the past, Korea wasn’t so wealthy that everyone could still own a car.
These days, in Seoul, even on Yeouinaru Road or Yeoksam Road, you could drive over 80 km/h if you wanted. There was no more traffic congestion.