Chapter 4
In a taxi crossing the Cheonho Bridge, Ye-Ji glanced at Do-Jun sitting in the adjacent seat. He was muttering to himself while going through a thick stack of documents perched on his knees.
She recalled the situation from twenty minutes ago.
***
“Huh? There is no need for you to push yourself, Do-Jun,” Hyuk-Soo said as he let out a hearty laugh, genuinely amused.
Do-Jun couldn’t even find his own seat and even seemed to have forgotten how to handle the basic administrative system. Not to mention, he was in the ICU just yesterday. Sending someone like this to a Fissure, even if it was only an F-rank one, wasn’t an option.
“Y-yeah. Do-Jun, think of it as learning the work step by step from the beginning. Also, we’ve already reassigned Hunter Ye-Ji to Hyuk-Soo and have even revised the official paperwork,” Cheol-Soo explained.
Do-Jun looked around and noticed that everyone in the division, from the manager to the members, was watching him. Some were whispering to each other, not realizing that they were being noticed.
He said earnestly, “I understand why you don’t trust me. It’s only natural. But please, just this once, try to believe in me.”
Everyone stared at Do-Jun in surprise.
“Help me become a part of the team.”
At those words, Hyuk-Soo, who was standing there blankly, let out a chuckle. He then walked over to the cabinet, took out a file titled Fissure Exploration Work Handover, and handed it to Do-Jun.
“Kwon Hyuk-Soo! What are you doing?” Cheol-Soo shouted.
“Chief, isn’t Do-Jun also a member of our team?” Hyuk-Soo asked calmly.
“Y-yes, he is.”
“I understand your concerns. As the one responsible for the division, you’re worried about any potential accidents, and all of us are aware of that. But honestly, until now…” Hyuk-Soo trailed off as he looked every member of the division in the eye and continued, “Honestly, has anyone here actually considered Do-Jun a real member of our team?”
At these words, everyone avoided his gaze, and Cheol-Soo’s face turned red, and he raised his voice.
“H-hey, that’s not true! He’s our precious junior!”
“When Do-Jun was in the ICU, critically injured and unconscious, someone even expressed during lunch break that this might be a good chance for us to get a new member. Did anyone in the team get angry about that? No, in fact, everyone was secretly happy, right?” Hyuk-Soo challenged them.
The atmosphere sank.
Then, a female staff member stood up and shouted, “No, Hyuk-Soo, how could you even say that? When did we ever think that—”
Hyuk-Soo cut her off, raising his voice, “Can we all just be honest, please?”
His booming voice reached the neighboring division, causing their members to stand up and look over in bewilderment.
“Honestly, I was very annoyed when Do-Jun first joined the team. It felt like he joined through a special recruitment drive for disabled people. I even questioned how someone like that could be hired for a Fissure Management position, given the hazardous nature of our work, where even lives are at stake.
“Did you know that I even resented the HR division for giving us such an inept employee? He couldn’t even answer the phone properly, forgot everything I taught him like a goldfish, didn’t put in any effort, and while others stayed longer to finish their work, he would leave at six sharp with no second thought!”
Hyuk-Soo’s shoulders shook as he ranted as if wanting to get everything off his chest. Then, he ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath.
“Even now, I dislike Do-Jun; I just don’t show it. But look, he’s trying to change. He’s trying to work hard. Nothing’s going to change if we continue to treat him like he’s invisible.”
He handed Do-Jun the work transfer file.
“I am Do-Jun’s mentor, and as such, I will take full responsibility for my decision. So just this once, please believe in him,” Hyuk-Soo pleaded with a bow of his head.
Do-Jun stood next to Hyuk-Soo and followed suit, bowing at a ninety-degree angle.
Seeing this, Cheol-Soo let out a dry laugh. Go, Lee Do-Jun.”
With those encouraging words, Do-Jun left Seoul City Hall with Ye-Ji, leaving behind a heavy and stifled atmosphere.
“Hey, Hyuk-Soo!”
At Cheol-Soo’s call, Hyuk-Soo quickly stood up and ran over.
“Yes, Chief.”
“You asshole. That talk during lunch was all for your sake. Su-Yeon said that because she felt bad for you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, it’s all water under the bridge now. Let’s see if the guy you stood up for is the real deal or just a waste of oxygen.”
***
Do-Jun closed the file and put it back in his briefcase.
It was a quick read, and after skimming through it five times, he understood what his job entailed. He was mainly responsible for acquiring information about the Fissures.
Originally, this task was contracted out to the Hunter’s Association, but due to rampant corruption issues, such as false reports and bribery stemming from disputes between major guilds, the government started handling it directly.
Do-Jun broke the ongoing silence in the taxi. “Come to think of it, we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet. I’m Lee Do-Jun.”
“I-I’m Cha Ye-Ji! I’m twenty-one years old.”
“Sorry for the embarrassing scene earlier.”
“N-not a problem at all!”
Do-Jun noticed a suit-case at Ye-Ji’s feet.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Oh, this? It’s my armor and weapons—they’re essential items for fighting monsters.”
The taxi arrived at a neighborhood park in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong-gu, where the target F-rank Fissure had appeared.
A considerable crowd had gathered at the site. A person from the Hunter’s Association, along with military and police personnel, was controlling the area to prevent any civilians from accidentally entering the Fissure.
Upon arriving at the site, Ye-Ji put her suit-case on the ground, opened it, and took out the contents—a sword that didn’t look to be made of metal and a small bead.
With familiar action, Ye-Ji brought the bead to her chest, following which, the suit compressed within the bead covered her entire body. This was a white, full-body compression suit that was commonly referred to as tights by Hunters and was worn in battle.
“Woah,” Do-Jun expressed his awe, amazed by the sight.
How could such a small bead produce such clothing?
“Hehe. This must be your first time seeing a Hunter’s suit?” Ye-Ji remarked.
“Yes, it’s fascinating.”
“This is the lowest grade suit that is mass-produced in a factory, but it still costs 3 million won. It’s quite expensive, right?”
“I see. What about the sword?” Do-Jun asked.
“It’s the sword of a D-rank monster, the Skeleton Soldier. It’s about two hundred and fifty thousand won, not that expensive. Rumor has it that Skeleton Soldiers carve these from their own bones. It’s quite sharp and cuts really well.”
Do-Jun simply nodded in response, as he wasn’t very interested, to be honest.
Regardless of how expensive her suit was or what kind of sword she used, to him, she was just a Hunter he was paired with; nothing more, nothing less.
“Shall we get going then?” Do-Jun asked.
“Yes. Oh, how should I address you?” Ye-Ji asked.
“I don’t care; anything is fine,” Do-Jun said nonchalantly.
He took out his employee ID and approached the staff from the Hunter’s Bureau controlling the entrance.
Ye-Ji followed closely behind Do-Jun with a big smile. She said, “Then I’ll call you Mr. Administrator. Since you manage the Fissures.”
“Okay.”
The person from the Hunter’s Bureau checked Do-Jun’s employee ID and asked him to place his thumb on the prepared terminal.
[Lee Do-Jun, Fissure Management Division, confirmed.]
“Verification complete. You may proceed.” The staff member smiled and gestured toward the Fissure with both hands.
Ye-Ji swallowed nervously as she looked at the Fissure that had opened up about ten meters above ground.
Even though it was F-rank, it was her first time entering a Fissure alone. Of course, with Do-Jun accompanying her, she wasn’t actually alone, but he was just an ordinary person, so she didn’t consider him of much help.
Suddenly, they heard a deep male voice, “Well, well, who do we have here?”
Ye-Ji’s shoulders trembled slightly—this particular voice was one she really didn’t want to hear. She turned her head and saw two men and one woman walking toward them.
She lowered her head deeply, wanting nothing more than to avoid these people.
“Long time no see, huh? I thought you gave up being a Hunter. But I guess not?”
A man in a shiny golden suit and sunglasses stood in front of Ye-Ji and grinned. Then he looked at Do-Jun and tilted his head.
He asked, “Did you join a guild too?”
“Y-yeah,” Ye-Ji answered reluctantly.
“Oho, so there’s actually a place that would accept even you? Even though you can’t even receive mana injections?” the man mocked Ye-Ji as he looked Do-Jun up and down.
Do-Jun turned to Ye-Ji and asked, “Do you know him?”
“Yes. We were in the same prep academy… to become Hunters…”
Her voice was small and shaky.
Then the man noticed the government ID hanging around Do-Jun’s neck and burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! So you became a contract Hunter, huh? That makes total sense. No guild would possibly accept you. Kek, judging by the fact that you’re at this Fissure, you must be an F-rank. Well, that rank is a no-brainer since you’ve got no mana.”
Ye-Ji didn’t say anything.
Do-Jun noticed that her legs were trembling, but it had nothing to do with him. He didn’t know what their relationship was in the past, and even if he did, Do-Jun and Ye-Ji were just an employer and contracted Hunter, so he had no reason to intervene.
“That’s enough. What’s the point of all this talk?” Do-Jun snapped at the man.
The man did not like Do-Jun’s attitude. He frowned and grabbed Do-Jun by the collar.
After all, he was a D-rank Hunter, while the guy who just snapped at him was simply a civil servant. He had nothing to fear.
“What are you going to do about it, Sir Civil Servant?”
Ye-Ji’s eyes widened, and she moved to intervene.
“M-mr. Administrator!”
—If you let go before I count to three, I won’t hold you accountable for your actions.
Telepathy.
The man flinched at the voice echoing in his mind, and when he met Do-Jun's gaze, he fell backward, trembling.
The man’s crotch became wet.
Do-Jun dusted off his shirt and straightened his crooked tie. He then approached the man sprawled on the ground and extended a hand.
“Are you okay? Can you stand up?”
It looked like a simple, kind gesture to the others, but to the man, Do-Jun felt like a mountain towering over him.
And when their eyes met again, he wet himself once more.
Do-Jun smirked at the sight and turned to Ye-Ji. “We’re running late. Let’s go.”
Ye-Ji glanced at the man sprawled on the ground before following Do-Jun into the Fissure.
***
“Hey! What’s wrong with you?”
“Na Han-Jung, what happened?”
Na Han-Jung’s guildmates looked puzzled.
“M-monster…” Na Han-Jung murmured dazedly.
“What?”
“T-that guy! He’s definitely a monster! How could a human have a gaze like that…?”
Na Han-Jung thought that if he had been even a second late in letting go, he probably would have been dead.
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