Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

"What are you talking about? Are you saying I\'m the one in the wrong here?"

"...Ah? No, you\'re not."

"What\'s with the long pause?"

Kang Mu-hyuk cleared his throat and asked a question to change the atmosphere.

"So, who are those people tied up over there?"

Nine Hunters, floating in the air with their limbs tightly bound by monster-suppressing ropes.

Go Eul-ji scratched her head and replied, "I\'m not exactly sure, but probably these four and those five are one group. Originally, there were six in the group of five, but one died. These four killed him."

The party of four protested at GoEul-ji\'s explanation.

"Mmmp! Mmmp mmmp."

"Mmm, mmmp mmmp mmmp."

"You\'ve gagged them too."

"They were too noisy."

"Let\'s leave them as they are for now. Tell me everything from the beginning, in detail."

Go Eul-ji explained what he knew.

The rampage of White Tiger Guild\'s Park Beomil at the community center, the order from Pyo Beom-hee to monitor him, the fight between two parties she encountered while tailing Park Beomil, and how she stopped Park Beomil who tried to eliminate them all and then escaped.

"I stopped tailing and intervened because I thought they\'d all get killed if I left them alone. The funny thing is, Park Beomil tried to take those five. He practically advertised that they were his targets. He didn\'t expect me to escape with all of them. Haha, you should\'ve seen the shocked look on his face! It was priceless."

Go Eul-ji shrugged and wiped under her nose with her thumb.

\'Ahem. This is how good I am. Come on, praise me already.\'

As Go Eul-ji boasted about her brilliant judgment, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke up.

"But Go Eul-ji, Team Leader Pyo gave you the mission. Why did you come here?"

"Huh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden instead of praising me...?"

"What? I couldn\'t hear you, speak up."

"No, it\'s just that... Team Leader Pyo was busy. She wasn\'t around. And there\'s no phone signal here. I couldn\'t just keep waiting, so I brought them here."

"Okay. I got a rough idea of what happened."

Kang Mu-hyuk guessed that Pyo Beom-hee assigned the task to Go Eul-ji because of the list she brought to him. Even if she had released Jang Deuk-goo as a watcher, it would be difficult to individually control Hunters who could cause problems. Especially if someone like Park Beomil, a ticking time bomb, was roaming around.

Since Pyo Beom-hee was responsible for managing Hunter care and incidents at Titan Guild, it must\'ve been particularly concerning.

In that sense, Go Eul-ji was an optimal choice. She didn\'t have any assigned tasks, and her telekinetic mobility and restraint abilities would be helpful in controlling Hunters.

\'Go Eul-ji handled it well this time, but... having even a brief battle is a risky outcome. I can\'t believe she fought a foe two ranks higher than her... Had she gotten hurt or died, it would have escalated into a conflict that couldn\'t be overlooked.\'

If that happened, Ju Se-ah would have taken action, and a war might have broken out. Kang Mu-hyuk wasn\'t sure if he could stop her.

Having grasped the situation, Kang Mu-hyuk moved on to the next issue. He pointed at each of the Hunters.

"White Tiger Guild targeting was probably not those five, but these four."

"Huh? The group of four? But he was just going to leave them alone."

"That\'s because you intervened midway. You mentioned there was another person beside Park Beomil, right? That\'s likely Hunter Go Taeseob."

"He has the same surname Go as me, huh?"

"Park Beomil has strong combat power but lacks leadership. So Go Taeseob is in charge of the party\'s order. He\'s cautious and doesn\'t overdo himself. That\'s why White Tiger Guild pairs them together for any mission. To effectively control Park Beomil."

"Wow~ Even though White Tiger Guild is high-tier, how do you know all that without even seeing them, Guild Leader Kang?"

"It\'s the basic knowledge a Strategy Team leader should have. Not just for Tier guilds, but for key figures in A-rank and mid-sized guilds as well. I also keep tabs on notable Hunters in smaller guilds."

"With your brain, you wouldn\'t have any trouble with memory-based subjects. I wish I could borrow it just for exams."

Ignoring Go Eul-ji\'s envious look, Kang Mu-hyuk continued, "Given Go Taeseob\'s personality, if he knew you were from Iron Will Guild, he would have tried to avoid a confrontation. While most Hunters have an \'all or nothing\' attitude, seasoned Hunters know what to take and what to leave."

"So they spat out what they couldn\'t eat?"

"It was a rational decision in its own right, but it\'s like a thief being on edge. When caught stealing, they usually try to take at least their belongings with them to erase the evidence."

"Ah, so that\'s why they tried to take them away? To silence them?"

When Go Eul-ji made a throat-slitting gesture, the five Hunters tied together flinched.

Kang Mu-hyuk looked around at the nine Hunters, each with a different expression.

The five, who looked troubled and serious, aside, the four who had committed murder seemed more at ease. However, one of the four still looked uneasy and had a pale complexion.

"Those three over there. Hunters Seo Suji, Lee Cheoljin, and Yu Taejin---I know them from the Gangbyeonbuk Expressway incident. I also know their identities. So, you must be the one they were targeting. Go Eul-ji, release this person so she can speak."

Soon, the pressure gagging the Hunter that Kang Muhyeok pointed to was released. However, the body remained bound.

Kang Mu-hyuk spoke, "I am Kang Mu-hyuk, the leader of Iron Will Guild."

"I\'m Lee Sookyoung."

When Kang Mu-hyuk introduced himself, Lee Sookyoung blinked in greeting, as she couldn\'t move her head.

\'She\'s from the North?\'

A spark of interest flashed in Kang Mu-hyuk\'s eyes. He asked nonchalantly.

"Hunter Lee Sookyoung, I have one question. Why were they targeting you?"

The moment Tae Suman, who was in the VIP room of the high-end salon where he first met Kang Mu-hyuk, saw Ju Se-ah enter, he frowned.

"I didn\'t expect you to come."

"Guild leader Kang is busy. I\'m busy too. I\'m just visiting Seoul, so I thought I\'d see you. I need to get back soon."

"Visiting? Not meeting with the Chairman?"

"That too, while I\'m at it."

Ju Se-ah walked to the sofa opposite Tae Suman and threw herself onto it. Her posture was rude, but as she placed her arms on the back of the sofa, Tae Suman felt a peculiar sense of pressure.

It wasn\'t because of her arrogant attitude. It wasn\'t the aura of being Korea\'s top Hunter either. There was no sense of intimidation or the typical Hunter\'s aura of domination. It was just a familiar look in Ju Se-ah\'s eyes that made him feel a déjà vu.

As if he were looking at his father.

"Did Guild Leader Kang outsmart me? This is flustering. I didn\'t expect to meet my dear youngest sister here. I didn\'t think of him as one of my people, but I thought he might be a business partner at least. People really have no principles."

"This kind of work was never for people with principles. Let\'s skip the small talk and get to business. My dear Brother."

"You\'ve become quite the sly one. Calling me brother."

"If I can take a whole guild by calling you that, isn\'t that a profitable deal? I can even act cute for you. My dear brother~"

"Just stick to what you usually do. It doesn\'t suit you."

"Not working? Well, being cute isn\'t my specialty."

Feeling his energy being drained from the start, Tae Suman continued the conversation.

"Anyway, about taking a guild? You? Who said they\'d just give it to you?"

"I\'ll take the guild. You take the group. Isn\'t that a good deal? It feels like I\'m getting the short end of the stick though."

Tae Suman was momentarily at a loss for words. Though she was being indirect, she was essentially proposing an alliance.

"So, can I take that to mean you\'re not interested in the group?"

"I\'m only interested in hunting monsters. But if anyone tries to interfere, well, I\'ll have no choice but to take over the group too. Conversely, if you leave the guild alone and let it be independent, I can support you."

Tae Suman stared silently at Ju Se-ah. Her thorny manner of speaking was the same, but unlike before, she had become quite skillful in negotiation. She had polished her ability to turn situations to her advantage, albeit to a certain extent.

\'No wonder her manner of speaking reminded me of someone. She must have learned a thing or two from Kang Mu-hyuk.\'

After organizing his thoughts, Tae Suman spoke.

"How do I know you won\'t go to my brother and say the same thing?"

"Our dear older brother is greedy. Do you think he\'d want to lose something that was originally his? I don\'t want to get stabbed in the back after partnering with him either."

"I\'m just as greedy."

"A dog is a dog. But it\'s better if the dog looks and sounds cuter, isn\'t it?"

"Jeez, the way you talk."

"You\'re not at the age where you want a cute little sister either, are you? Try asking the Chairman for that. He still seems fit enough for a late child."

The more he talked to Ju Se-ah, the more infuriated he became. She wasn\'t a cute sister before either, but now she was more of a troublesome one.

Tae Suman felt the need to adjust the terms of the negotiation to avoid being dragged into her pace.

"Fine. You take the guild. But no independence. You can do whatever you want within the group. I won\'t interfere."

"Hey there, Mr. Tae Suman."

"..."

"If you try to take everything, you\'ll lose everything. You can\'t beat the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman while satisfying all your greed. Just give up where it\'s necessary."

Ju Se-ah was threatening him with a blank expression, and then suddenly added something else as if she had just remembered it.

"Oh, and if you don\'t honor the agreement after taking over the group, you will have trouble."

"Even a verbal contract is a contract, huh? If you\'re that worried, I can write a note. Want one?"

"No need. Who knows what shady things you\'d do with it. You\'re not trying to put a leash on me with a piece of paper, are you? Besides, I don\'t need any contract."

Ju Se-ah lightly placed her hand on the table. With a crack, the marble top shattered, splitting the table.

"In the Hunter world, there\'s a saying: \'Why use words when you have a good fist?\' A Hunter of my level can handle things quietly. I\'ll leave the details of the way I\'ll handle things to your imagination."

"Ha? You\'re even threatening me now? Our little sister has grown up, huh?"

"Someone told me recently that it\'s okay for Korea\'s top Hunter to do this. I hope you\'re not my first recipient of that."

Tae Suman unconsciously swallowed dryly.

Kang Mu-hyuk temporarily detained the Hunters who tried to kill Lee Sookyoung in a special facility. Seo Suji\'s group was also isolated for later testimony.

Although he had fought alongside Seo Su-ji\'s group during the Gangbyeonbuk Expressway incident, Hunters could betray their allies depending on the situation and their interests, so he couldn\'t completely trust them.

Kang Mu-hyuk invited the now-free Lee Sookyoung to take a seat.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Do you have something sweet?"

"Something sweet?"

"That yellow sweet fruit drink. After a few near-death experiences, I crave something sweet."

"Oh, orange juice? I don\'t have any because I don\'t usually drink sweet things."

"Then, I\'ll just have coffee with sugar."

Kang Mu-hyuk brewed a hot coffee and served it to Lee Sookyoung. In the now more relaxed atmosphere, he asked again.

"Alright, I\'ve dismissed everyone to make it easier for you to talk. To help resolve this, I need to know the situation. Why did you, a Hunter from the North end up being chased here?"

"Honestly, I\'m not sure either. It seems to be related to something I saw at the \'Monster Convergence Zone\'... but I have no idea what it was."

"In the Demonic Realm? What did you see?"

The mention of the Gate seen in the demonic realm made Kang Mu-hyuk tense up.

As it was, the conflict between China and Russia in the Demonic Realm was intensifying. Was it really a coincidence that Lee Sookyoung fled all the way here at this time? Could what she saw be completely unrelated to the incidents he knew about?

Kang Mu-hyuk\'s instincts sharpened. Lee Sookyoung continued her story.

"I saw a monster door. In American terms, it\'s called a Gate. I saw it, but... it seemed strange."

"How was it strange?"

"Usually, a monster Gate has a \'gatekeeper\' standing guard. If there isn\'t one, it means the Gate has been cleared, right?"

"That\'s correct."

"But if the Gate was cleared, it would make sanse (sense) to unlock it with a key and enter. Instead, they had some strange device extracting forcee (force) fields from the Gate."

"A device?"

"A red forcee (force) field was covering the monster Gate. It looked like it was blocking something. Like it was preventing monsters from coming out."

"Blocking the Gate?"

Kang Mu-hyuk couldn\'t think of anything immediately. As far as he knew, there was no method to seal or block a Gate.

The only thing that came to mind was a \'closing bomb.\'

\'But that\'s hard to use except in Demonic Realms due to its side effects.\'

The closing bomb.

It was a last resort to forcefully close a Gate.

The method was simple. If a Gate couldn\'t be cleared before the outbreak date, they would just blow up the entire external Gate.

The problem was that this method couldn\'t be used in a city.

Blowing up a Gate had the effect of an EMP bomb, effectively showering the entire city with electromagnetic pulses, destroying all electronic devices.

Furthermore, it rendered the use of power impossible. Depending on the size of the Gate, the region could be without electricity and fuel for anywhere from a few years to several decades.

In short, it would revert the area to the Stone Age.

Even without destruction by monsters, the city would effectively die.

\'It\'s probably not just a device to block the Gate. It must be for a different purpose, or it\'s being used differently than originally intended. The question is, what is it for? Is it something worth killing people to keep them silent?\'

Kang Mu-hyuk already suspected that the Gate Lee Sookyoung saw was one of the five Gates mentioned by the Tsar Guild, and he was thinking of how to respond.

"Still, it wasn\'t a bad choice to come to the North Pocheon \'Hunter Activity Group\' based on the Sinuiju middleman\'s advice. It\'s fortunate I met an activity leader who understood me and saved my life."

Kang Mu-hyuk felt a chill run down his spine at Lee Sookyoung\'s casual remark as she sipped her coffee.

"Wait a moment. Are you saying someone suggested you come to North Pocheon?"

"It wasn\'t exactly a suggestion. They just mentioned this Hunter village. I made the decision myself. That comrade even got me away from my pursuers, showing great loyalty."

It was rare for Hunters from the North to come down to the South. Even if their lives depended on it, there were many rumors in the North that made Hunters hesitant to come South.

Kang Mu-hyuk knew well how Ju Se-ah was portrayed in Northern rumors---as practically a monster, a human scum.

Despite that, he found it curious that Lee Sookyoung came all the way to North Pocheon.

\'A middleman \'means a broker. A Sinuiju broker risked danger to help her escape? Something\'s off.\'

Of course, Sinuiju brokers were known for their dedication to clients. But their level of service depended on how much was paid. The more you paid, the better the service. It was unlikely that a Northern Hunter like Lee Sookyoung could afford an expensive service.

"Do you know who the broker was who suggested North Pocheon? Their name, age, or origin?"

"Well, the name was... Ah! They gave me a \'self introduction card.\'"

Lee Sookyoung rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a worn wallet, handing over a business card.

Kang Mu-hyuk took the card and read the name.

<Get Anything Done CEO, Hyun Junggeon>

"Ha? Why is his name here?"