#28
Do-hyeok who received the question maintained silence for a moment. Rather than not wanting to speak, he seemed to be recalling something. He was looking at Ha-seong, but his eyes seemed to be chasing after past events. The darkness reflected in his pupils was unfathomably deep, making it somewhat uncomfortable to keep meeting that gaze.
“I lost something precious because of that bastard.”
Something precious. Did he lose family? Well, if it was an incident massive enough to determine the nation’s survival, that was the most likely possibility. If he lost family, wanting revenge was understandable enough.
“I see. If that’s the case, I can understand.”
Although Ha-seong, who had never received the parental love that others naturally received, couldn’t fully understand that feeling, he knew about the pain of losing someone precious.
“What I want to ask hyung to do is work as an investigator for now. Since that bastard has shown himself again, he’ll probably start being active. I think artificially opened gates must have differences from ordinary gates. And if we follow those aspects, we’ll be able to catch that bastard’s tail.”
Now it felt like all the itchy parts had been refreshingly resolved. He had been curious about why Cha Do-hyeok specifically asked Ha-seong to help with revenge, but now that question was finally answered.
To work as an investigator for this case, one needed to have a certain level of skill first. Moreover, the most important thing was that it would be disadvantageous if one’s face was known. That bastard would be watching this side too.
From any angle, Ha-seong was perfect for this job. Since he wasn’t a hunter and no one would pay attention to a purifier.
“Right. I also don’t want to see this world perish.”
One such experience was enough. Having gone to the threshold of hell and returned alive, he didn’t want to experience destruction again.
“Good. Now we’re really in the same boat.”
Do-hyeok extended his hand as if requesting a handshake. Same boat. A boat where you live together and sink together if it goes down. And the one holding the helm of that boat was none other than Cha Do-hyeok.
Ha-seong slowly extended his hand and grasped Do-hyeok’s. Do-hyeok’s body temperature, cooler than others, was transmitted through their hands.
“I’ll let you know the detailed plan once it’s decided. Then for today, go home first…”
Awesome. Early dismissal!
Ha-seong cheered inwardly. Others might say he was stealing his salary, but wasn’t working little and earning lots of money the happiest thing in the world?
“Then I’m going.”
Ha-seong stood up without regret, dragging his chair. Like someone who had been waiting only for the words to go home.
“Come back here around 10 PM tonight.”
“What?”
What kind of bolt from the blue was this? He was happy because he was told to go home, but now he had to come back to work? And in the middle of the night? How could that guy say such terrifying words so nonchalantly?
“I have something for you to do. This is also part of the plan, so don’t complain and come.”
By the way, that guy only called him hyung but his words were somewhat rude. Did just adding ‘yo’ make it polite? He was about to say something but just let it go. Anyway, he wanted to go home quickly right now.
“Yes, yes.”
“Don’t forget to take the pig when you go.”
Ah, right. He almost forgot. Ha-seong thanked him for reminding him and slowly left the guild leader’s office. After Ha-seong left the guild leader’s office, Do-hyeok sat in his seat for a long time, lost in thought.
Do Ha-seong said he would help him. He had joined hands with him when he said they were in the same boat. He felt somewhat excited for some reason. He thought about why, but couldn’t find a clear answer. He probably found a proper investigator according to plan, Do-hyeok decided to think that way.
* * *
Ha-seong, who came straight home, threw some cabbage from the eight heads he had bought last time to the pig, then sat in front of his laptop. He had intended to rest, but the story he heard from Cha Do-hyeok earlier kept lingering in his head. Ha-seong entered a portal site and began searching for articles about the incident from 10 years ago.
Just typing “incident from 10 years ago” poured out countless pieces of information including related search terms and articles. Ha-seong clicked on a related post published on a site famous for high credibility. It contained fairly detailed accounts of the circumstances surrounding the incident from 10 years ago and the entire process until it was resolved.
“It was an incredibly big incident.”
Just the recorded casualty count was shocking. However, nowhere in that article was there any mention of someone artificially opening gates. Not just that article, but in various other articles too, that incident was simply recorded as an unlucky, coincidental occurrence.
Cha Do-hyeok’s words about the Hunter Management Bureau thoroughly controlling information seemed to be correct.
“Opening them artificially…”
Ha-seong turned off his laptop and fell into thought. Even when he lived in the previous world, he had never heard such stories. Among the skills Ha-seong knew, there were absolutely no skills that could make such a thing possible. He thought for several more minutes, but within his range of knowledge, there was no useful information. Then, as Do-hyeok said, there was no choice but to tackle it head-on.
After that, Ha-seong moved diligently. After washing, roughly cleaning the house, eating, and scolding the pig that had overeaten cabbage again, time had already passed 9 o’clock.
“Should I head out soon?”
But what exactly was he planning to do by calling him at this late hour? Ha-seong roughly put on clothes and went outside. As soon as he went out, he saw an unfamiliar sedan parked in front of Ha-seong’s house.
“Seriously, what kind of bastard parks like this?”
Blocking someone else’s house entrance like that. He was about to say something, but if he got into an argument, he might be late. Just as he was about to pass by, the driver’s seat door burst open.
“Do Ha-seong-ssi!”
When his name came from the mouth of someone getting out of an unknown car, Ha-seong was startled and reflexively clenched his fist, but upon closer look, it was a familiar face.
“Han Shin-woo-ssi?”
“I was just about to call you, but we almost missed each other. Please get in. I’ll take you to the office.”
“You came to pick me up?”
Ha-seong asked as he naturally headed to the passenger side.
“Yes. The guild leader instructed me to do so.”
What’s gotten into that guy? Was he moved because I agreed to help with his revenge? Well, whatever, this worked out well. He could go comfortably.
“Then we’ll depart.”
The car smoothly exited the alley and merged onto the road. Perhaps because it was late at night, there weren’t many cars on the road.
“But why is Cha Do-hyeok… no, why is the guild leader calling me at this hour?”
Ha-seong, who had been blankly staring at the streetlights illuminating the road at regular intervals, asked Shin-woo. Since he definitely said it was part of the plan, it wouldn’t be something useless. It seemed like he should at least roughly know what they were planning to do so he could mentally prepare.
“Ah, you’ll know when you get there.”
Maybe it’s because he’s an executive secretary, but his lips are incredibly sealed. It was obvious that he wouldn’t find out anything no matter how much he kept asking. Ha-seong decided to just go quietly.
Going by car took only half the time it would take by bus. After quickly arriving and parking at the office, Ha-seong followed Shin-woo’s lead. He thought they would go straight to the guild leader’s office, but he pressed the basement level 1 button in the elevator.
In the basement they arrived at, there was a large door, and Han Shin-woo took out an ID card from inside his outer clothes and held it against the security device attached next to the door.
<Confirmed.>
An announcement was heard and the sound of the door unlocking was made.
“I’ve brought him, Guild Leader.”
Upon entering, a space as large and wide as the door was spread out. If he had to find a fitting description… it felt like a school gymnasium.
“Good work.”
When the two entered, Cha Do-hyeok, who had been waiting while sitting askew in a chair on one side, slowly got up and approached. He too seemed to have stopped by home, wearing a black windbreaker.
“What is this place for?”
“Training room.”
This was a space that Nameless guild members usually used to test and hone their skills. It was also used as a sparring ground where guild members competed with each other in skill, and when new hunters joined, it was used as a classroom where they learned from senior hunters.
The reason this place was on basement level 1 was simple. When hot-blooded hunters used their skills recklessly or got emotional during sparring and fought intensely, breaking everything, this was the floor that would suffer the least damage. That made sense because this basement level 1 contained only this training room.
“But why did you call me here? To do gymnastics in the moonlight?”
“I wanted to gauge hyung’s skills a little.”
He already knew that Ha-seong was an S-rank hunter, but he hadn’t properly grasped exactly what level his skills were at yet.
For now, Do-hyeok was the only officially recognized S-rank in South Korea, so there was no comparison. If there were other S-ranks, what level of skill would they have? Even hunters of the same grade had vastly different abilities depending on the skills they used. There were actually hunters who had low grades but high rankings recorded.
Only by knowing what level of skill Ha-seong possessed could he adjust the intensity of tasks to request or assign to him.
“So you’re basically telling me to spar with you or something?”
“Why would I fight with hyung? If we two fight, this place will collapse.”
Saying that, Do-hyeok walked forward.
“This guy will measure hyung’s skills.”
Following Do-hyeok, there was an unidentified machine placed there. The top surface of the machine, which came up to Ha-seong’s waist height, was flat.
“What kind of machine is this?”
“Pounding. You can think of it as similar to the machine used for grade measurement at the Hunter Management Bureau.”
Pounding. It was the name of a machine that measured hunters’ power. To gauge hunters’ strength and measure their grades, machines for measuring power had been actively developed and utilized since long ago. Item dealers who specialized in making pounding machines were also increasing in trend.
When Do-hyeok touched the side of the machine, it made a sound and began operating.
“Use your most confident skill to strike the top surface here. Then numbers will appear.”
“Can you roughly infer the grade from that?”
“Yes. Usually the numbers are precisely divided from 1 to 1,000, and generally from 850 onwards is considered A-grade or above.”
In other words, Cha Do-hyeok’s words seemed to mean he wanted to find out Ha-seong’s grade using this amazing machine. Ha-seong examined the amazing machine from various angles. Come to think of it, he had never had his grade measured since coming to this world. Although Ha-seong was S-rank, the measurement methods of this place and the world he originally lived in might be slightly different, so this was interesting in its own way.
“Amazing. What did you get?”
“Measurement impossible.”
“Huh?”
“I tried it several times but it showed an error every time.”
What’s this? Is he bragging right now? Ha-seong looked at Do-hyeok, who said such things nonchalantly, with narrowed eyes.
“Hurry up and try it. The method is as I said earlier. You remember, right?”
Ha-seong nodded. So His S-rank Majesty here got “measurement impossible.” Ha-seong clenched his fist tightly. Somehow he felt his competitive spirit flaring up.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
