Chapter 01 ….
Dongdae Hunter, Choi Yeon
“Did you call me, Captain Dong?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What’s the matter?”
Choi Yeon asked in an intentionally serious tone.
Captain Kim Jae-sang shook his head, seemingly displeased with Choi Yeon’s casual attitude. Yet he didnât add a word.
It was a waste of time to lecture someone like himâbetter to just give him the task.
“There’s a guy named Yang Dae-geun causing a commotion at the Yangji Dungeon dismantling site. Go deal with it.”
“A commotion? But, Yang Dae-geunâŠ?”
“First time hearing about him? Turns out he was a B-rank Hunter active in Seoul.”
“Past tense?”
“Got kicked out of his guild over abuse issues.”
“Sounds like a typical guild Hunter. Anyway, living for their own ego, huh? But why Daejeon? Is this his hometown?”
“No, born and raised in Seoul.”
“Hmm⊠then⊔
A Seoul-born Hunter, cut off from his guild, came down to Daejeon with no ties. It wouldnât be just for funâthere had to be a reason. And the biggest reason Hunters change regions isâŠ
ââŠhe mustâve been scouted by a Daejeon or Chungcheong guild.â
“Most likely.”
“A Hunter kicked out for abuse⊠honestly, not a great find. I wouldnât scout him if I were in charge.”
“I agree, but regardless of our opinion, Yang Dae-geun is here. So where could he be?”
A guild tricked by a B-rank Hunter.
Choi Yeon had a thoughtâbrief, fleeting. He sincerely hoped there wasnât a foolish guild in the area. A foolish guild paired with an abusive Hunter would only make more work for him.
So Choi Yeon hoped for the opposite scenario: a guild capable of fully controlling even an abusive Hunter.
ââŠPaktor.â
“Mm?”
“If itâs Paktor, the top guild in Chungcheong for over twenty years, itâs possible. Especially with Park Do-kyung, ranked sixth.”
“Right. That guild could handle him easily.”
ââŠBut, Captain Dong.”
“Yes?”
“Wouldnât it be better if Brother Hee-seok went instead of me?”
Choi Yeon pointed at Choi Hee-seok across from him.
The bearded, 2-meter-tall giant looked like a gentle bear, his warm smile softening his massive figure.
“Our ace of the Sunhwa Division, a 27-year veteran! A full-fledged B-rank Hunter!”
“âŠâŠ”
Captain Kim Jae-sang frowned.
What kind of person was Choi Yeon? Whenever given a task, heâd sense it and hide his body. Just like now.
“I know what youâre thinking, but itâs not like that.”
“Not like that?”
“Abusive Hunters usually resort to violence if things go wrong.”
“So?”
“Brother Hee-seok going would balance out the force, right?”
“By rank, yes.”
Captain Kim Jae-sang nodded.
Good!
Choi Yeon clenched his fist slightly under the desk. He felt he had successfully delegated the taskâonly for Captain Kimâs words to follow:
“Still, youâre going.”
“No, why?”
“Because I want you to handle it.”
“What?”
Choi Yeon muttered a blunt reply.
It was a nonsensical answer, and he was dumbfounded. He agreed with the reasoning, so why didnât the outcome change? Abuse of power!
As Choi Yeon prepared to argue, Captain Kim spoke first.
“If it bothers you, you can be the captain.”
Shrugging lightly, he wielded his authority with ease.
Choi Yeon was left speechless.
SqueakâŠ
Choi Yeon turned off the patrol mana scooter.
The dismantling site in front of Yangji Dungeon, reached in five minutes, was quiet.
It didnât fit the image of a B-rank Hunter causing a commotion, nor did it match the usual atmosphere.
Yangji Dungeon wasnât popular, but it wasnât completely devoid of Hunters calling it their base. Otherwise, a dismantling site wouldnât have been set up right in front of the dungeon for the monsters hunted there.
“Hmm⊔
Choi Yeon entered the dismantling site.
A large, muscular figure stood confrontationally, muscles like balloons ready to burst. Judging by his overdeveloped right arm, he likely wielded a weapon the size of his body.
Choi Yeon cautiously spoke, aware that raising his voice as usual could trigger a fight.
“âŠExcuse me.”
Snap! Snap!
Everyone turned their heads at the new voice.
“Yeon-ah! You finallyâ”
“Hey, Squint. Who are you?”
Familiar faces brightened, ready to greet him, but Yang Dae-geun stepped between them, cutting off the interaction. His gruff voice demanded,
“What are you?”
His hostile glare looked strangely confused, as if he had faced the impossible.
Why all of a sudden?
“âŠIâm Choi Yeon, Sunhwa Division Hunter.”
Choi Yeon held up his Hunter ID.
He swallowed the words, I came because you were causing a commotion.
Yang Dae-geun frowned, quickly scanning Choi Yeon.
“Sunhwa⊠Division? So, youâre a Dongdae Hunter? Not even a city hall Hunter?”
“Yes. Thatâs correct.”
“âŠâŠ”
“âŠâŠ?”
Choi Yeon tilted his head. He was curious why Yang Dae-geun was acting strangely but didnât press it. Better to get on with the taskâfinishing quickly meant avoiding more trouble.
“Director Park, whatâs going on?”
Choi Yeon asked Park Chung-jae, the dismantling site manager, for an explanation.
Park, who had been giving Yang Dae-geun a wary look, answered,
“Heâs suspicious of us.”
“Suspicious?”
“Yes. He claims we undervalued the Red Silk Spider. I explained, but he refused to believe it.”
Park pointed to a pile of about 70 cm long spider corpses, probably hunted by Yang Dae-geun himself.
“I see.”
It wasnât uncommon for Hunters to distrust a dismantling siteâs pricing. Thatâs when a mediator like Choi Yeon, a Dongdae Hunter, was necessary.
Choi Yeon crouched before the spider corpses.
“May I check them?”
“Go ahead.”
Choi Yeon swiftly examined the Red Silk Spiders. Most lacked abdomens; eyes were burst, legs crushedâonly the cephalothorax remained.
“âŠThe abdomen is key for Red Silk Spiders.”
He picked one up.
“Especially the underside. Thatâs where silk glands are. Without it, you canât get a proper price, as silk has many uses.”
“And if itâs missing?”
“Then you look at the legs. Slightly gross in appearance, but once cooked, theyâre edible.”
“They eat this?”
“Tastes pretty goodâlike premium shrimp.”
Yang Dae-geun frowned at Choi Yeonâs spider leg. Even if it tasted like shrimp, it was still a spider. With all the hair, eating shrimp would be better.
Choi Yeon ignored the look and continued,
“Spiders missing abdomens with only legs intact⊠about 150,000 won each.”
“150,000 won? Youâre talking nonsense.”
“Maybe, but itâs true.”
Choi Yeon clapped his hands, brushing off dust and sand.
Park chimed in,
“You see? Even the Dongdae Hunter quoted the same price. Proof we didnât undervalue them.”
“Hmm.”
“Now, thatâs settledâ”
“But.”
Yang Dae-geun interrupted.
He wasnât even trying to be clever; Choi Yeon gaped.
“I still donât trust it.”
“âŠâŠ!”
“Looks like you and the site manager are in cahoots, trying to cheat me.”
Choi Yeon was dumbfounded. Truly paranoid.
Others vented their frustrations:
“Damn, canât trust a Dongdae Hunter? Should we call a city hall Hunter?”
“Didnât you hear him? You think weâre conspiring? A city hall Hunter wouldnât make it different!”
“Ugh, seriously!”
The site erupted. Choi Yeon, technically made a scapegoat, stayed silent. He knew Yang Dae-geun was just a stupid, guild-expelled B-rank Hunter.
Choi Yeon stepped forward, calming the scene. All eyes turned to him.
“You donât trust me? Yang Dae-geun.”
“Yeah⊠wait. Do you know me?”
“Of course. Iâve been to the Yangji Dungeon.”
Choi Yeon muttered internally: the dungeon records show it, not that heâs famous.
“Anyway. Iâll make you trust me.”
“Make me trust you? You think thatâs possible?”
“Yes.”
Yang Dae-geun laughed.
It wasnât the price that upset himâhe just wanted to see people squirm.
“Curious. How will you make me trust you?”
“Simple.”
“Simple?”
“Yes. One phone call.”
Choi Yeon pulled out his smartphone.
“A phone call? You canât be a captain.”
“Of course not. Maybe a guild master, though.”
“Guild⊠masterâŠ?”
“Yes. The master of the guild you recently joined.”
“…I donât get it. Iâve been solo since leaving my last guild.”
Choi Yeon smiled faintly, swiping his screen upwards confidently.
“Then a call should be fine.”
Yang Dae-geun was confused. How did this Squint know? Only he, the guild master, and the masterâs male assistant knew. A Dongdae Hunter knowing an A-rank guild masterâs contact was absurd.
“Ah, here it is. Park Do-kyung Hunterâs contact.”
Yang Dae-geun tried to stop him, but seeing Choi Yeonâs calm face, he had to admit: the Dongdae Hunter knew everything.
“No need to call.”
“Really?”
Choi Yeonâs thumb froze above the screen. Yang Dae-geun felt pressure.
“Not a normal Dongdae Hunter, huh?”
Choi Yeon merely nodded internally. Act like an extraordinary Dongdae Hunter.
“Too bad. I wanted to greet Park Do-kyung Hunter.”
“TskâŠ!”
Yang Dae-geun clicked his tongue in displeasure. Choi Yeon remained calm. If anyone looked nervous, it was him.
“Squint⊠I remember your face.”
“Oh, great. Itâs troublesome when Hunters donât remember faces.”
Choi Yeon refused to give the reaction Yang Dae-geun wanted. Even if annoyed, Yang Dae-geun said nothing further.
“See you, Squint.”
“Leaving already? We havenât collected payment for the Red Silk Spiders.”
“Hah! Doesnât matter. Money from a C-rank dungeon is pocket change to me.”
“âŠRight.”
Choi Yeon agreed immediately. While internally wondering why such a person caused a scene in a C-rank dungeon, Yang Dae-geun left.
“OoohâŠ!”
“Good job, Yeon-ah!”
The site workers approached, patting shoulders and bumping fists. Some cursed Yang Dae-geun; others sprinkled coarse salt.
“Surprising, though.”
Park Chung-jae looked at Choi Yeon in admiration.
“Yeon, didnât expect you to know Park Do-kyungâs contact.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You almost called him just now.”
“Oh, that? Director, come on. How would I know the Paktor masterâs contact?”
“What? Then what were you saying?”
“Of course, that was a lie.”
Park Chung-jae was dumbfounded. Others stared in shock too.
“If we hadnât fallen for it, what then?”
“Then Plan B.”
“Plan B?”
“Yes. Call Brother Hee-seok.”
Plan B, huh? Just passing responsibility.
Choi Yeon looked at the Red Silk Spiders.
“Director Park, these are unclaimed, right?”
“Yes⊠Yang Dae-geun left them all. Ridiculous, for a B-rank Hunter.”
“Not all B-rank Hunters are as competent as Brother Hee-seok. Anyway, can we take a few? For a meal.”
“Good idea! Take some legs too!”
Park Chung-jae walked toward the spiders. Hunters clenched their fists excitedly. Eating spider legs after hunting them was one thing; free food was another.
“Right. Director, some coarse salt too.”
“Take it, take it. We have enough to make a salt farm.”
Park waved his hands, and Choi Yeon smiled brightly.
