After leaving those words behind, Yu Hanul departed.
Han Jaeyeong tilted their head. “I can understand him saying that about me, but lumping you in too with ‘I don’t know what you’re plotting’… When did you become the kind of person that fits that description, Daon?”
“I’d like to know that myself.”
No matter how suspicious I might look, the fact that Yu Hanul was treating me as being on the same level as Han Jaeyeong was honestly shocking. Do I really look similar to that raccoon who’d swallowed a pit viper? In what way, exactly?
I shook my head. “…Of course, how Yu Hanul sees me isn’t all that important.”
“Isn’t it? You look more shaken than you think. Well, whatever, it’s not important to me.” Han Jaeyeong smiled in a lazy circle. What an irritating face.
“So why is the Central Management Office watching you?”
The Central Management Office. More than anything else, I hadn’t expected to hear that term come out of Yu Hanul’s mouth.
“Hm. That bothers me too.” Han Jaeyeong’s expression turned serious as well. “Normally, a guildmaster like me is closer to the Hunter Association than to the Central Management Office…and there hasn’t been anything lately that should cause trouble.”
If the Hunter Management Agency is a government body, then the Hunter Association is an organization that individual Hunters join voluntarily to pursue shared interests. And in a capitalist society, a guild is essentially a company too, just with a slightly unusual profit structure.
“If not recently, then there
was
something problematic before? What kind of problem?”
“‘Problem’ is a strong word… It’s just the usual stuff between corporations and the government. They get greedy and try to squeeze out more taxes, or they threaten you to pay bribes if you don’t want to be regulated.”
“Isn’t it more like paying bribes if you want to get away with tax evasion or receive special treatment?”
“Haha, that’s all a matter of phrasing. I give a reasonable amount either way.”
Listening to them, Han Jaeyeong sounded less like a Hunter and more like a corrupt businessman. Then again, considering how much money this guild brings in, maybe that was only natural. Even if I’m an S-rank prospect, the fact that they could transfer tens of billions in cash on the spot means their available capital must be enormous.
“Anyway, I honestly can’t think of anything recent. Of course, the government keeping tabs on an S-rank Hunter wouldn’t be strange in itself, but…” Han Jaeyeong trailed off, but the implication was clear. They might be someone worth watching, but there’d be no need to probe through Yu Hanul specifically. “No matter how I think about it, I can’t see the reason. Could information about the item have leaked to the government through the Truelight Sect victims?”
“That’s not it.”
To begin with, information about the soul core came from the system, so that wasn’t possible. Still, unlike Han Jaeyeong, who looked completely at a loss, I had a faint suspicion of my own.
If there really is the Enemy of Humanity within the Central Management Office, they might be using Yu Hanul to probe us.
There’s no way they wouldn’t know that I’m acting in tandem with the system.
The system begins searching for the source of the “Soul Core” in order to locate the “Enemy of Humanity”.
Given that the system had obtained information on the soul core during the recent Truelight Sect incident, the other side was likely feeling pressured. And now, with us entering another dungeon while following traces of a soul core, it made sense. Naturally, they’d want to know whether I was truly moving as part of the same team as the hero, because if I were working alongside the hero, things would become significantly more troublesome for them.
Of course, all of this assumes that there really
is
the Enemy of Humanity within the Central Management Office. For now, it’s all just conjecture.
Something about this feels wrong.
From the moment Lee Manbok mentioned the Central Management Office as he died, to whoever it was that approached Yu Hanul so openly, the timing feels almost too perfect, like a deliberate attempt to showcase the Office’s movements.
It’s as if someone wants us to suspect the Central Management Office.
The naïve hero might follow the clues laid out in front of him without question, but I’m far too suspicious for that.
“Well, Hunter Yu Hanul wouldn’t say something like that without reason, so let’s at least keep it in mind. We can always look into who leaked that information later.”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Either way, once this soul core business is over, it looks like we’ll need to take a closer look at the Central Management Office. For now, though, tomorrow’s dungeon raid comes first.
“Then let’s get back to the main point.”
After gauging my reaction, Han Jaeyeong tapped the tablet lying on the table. Displayed on the screen were numerical summaries of my VR training sessions against various monsters.
Seeing it laid out as objective data was oddly interesting. It was only natural that my evasion rate had climbed steeply throughout the week, and my hit rate was also quite respectable.
“Considering how you were moving like someone with no coordination just a week ago, this is honestly shocking. Are you sure you don’t have talent with a sword?”
Han Jaeyeong asked with a sly grin, but I shook my head. “Don’t say ridiculous things.”
That said, it was hard to deny that the results were a bit too good for the amount of time I’d invested.
My current Stamina stat was 18. Absurdly enough, it had been 16 originally, and after a solid week of grinding through the VR program and training under Yu Hanul, it had gone up by two. Which, put another way, meant I’d pushed myself hard enough for my stats to actually increase in just one week.
When an S-rank swordsman personally puts you through your paces, you’d better be able to endure it. If not for fatigue recovery potions, I’d probably still be bedridden, groaning in pain.
“For a mage, this is excellent.”
“So I’m no longer dead weight?”
“Let’s say you’ve gotten a little lighter. You’re still bringing that bracelet, right?”
I nodded. Considering who had made that item, I didn’t particularly want to carry it around, but it was too useful to just leave rotting in my inventory, especially since the soul core embedded in it drew in mana on its own and charged itself, meaning it didn’t require the user’s mana at all.
“I’ll bring it.”
At my words, Han Jaeyeong’s eyes gleamed. “I’m curious how it works in practice. Hmm… shall we use that as the nominal subject of our experiment?”
“Do you want it that badly?” I probed Han Jaeyeong’s intentions.
Honestly, I’d already considered the possibility that they might covet the item when I showed it to them. I’d even factored in the chance that they might try to overpower me and take it by force. Despite that, there were two reasons I’d still chosen to reveal the item to Han Jaeyeong.
First, to use it as bait—to lure them into the dungeon raid and use them as a shield. And second…
They
might come looking to reclaim it.
That bracelet essentially contained the culmination of the Enemy of Humanity’s research. It wouldn’t be strange for them to resort to terrorism to retrieve it. After all, I’d already been targeted twice, so no matter how useful it was, it might be better to hand it off to Han Jaeyeong if the opportunity arose.
If Han Jaeyeong and the Enemy of Humanity ended up fighting each other over it, even better; two birds with one stone.
“Of course I want it. It’s that kind of item. But…”
As Han Jaeyeong spoke candidly, their eyes narrowed. The look on their face was the same one I wore when I scrutinized others, clearly trying to peer into my intentions.
“Something about this feels suspicious.”
“…What does?”
“I know you don’t trust me, Hunter Jeong Daon. You never show anything carelessly. And yet you’re handing over such a rare item to someone like me so readily? That makes me uneasy.”
"..."
Tch.
I clicked my tongue. It was painfully clear now, we were both probing each other’s intentions. Sharp bastard. Just what did Yu Hanul see to lump me in with someone like this?
“If you distrust me that much, why did you agree to my proposal to raid the dungeon for the item in the first place?”
“Because it’s interesting,” Han Jaeyeong replied as if it were obvious. “Even if the information you brought is false, that just means you have some other reason for bringing me into this dungeon. And once I figure out that reason, I’ll know what kind of person you really are.”
As expected, they weren’t easy to deal with. I’d thought they might be blinded by greed for a powerful item, but they’d even entertained the possibility that it was all a lie, and on top of that, they had the confidence of someone strong enough not to care even if the dungeon turned out to be a trap.
Yeah… I’ve got terrible luck.
Especially for someone like me, whose abilities were restricted and who was scrambling just to squeeze out a measly five levels.
I rose from my seat. “Anyway, it looks like I’ve met the minimum requirements, so let’s meet in front of the dungeon tomorrow.”
“Let me correct one thing. We’ll meet in front of your place tomorrow. I’ll come pick you up. You still don’t have a driver’s license, right?”
"…"
Seriously, my luck is terrible.
The next morning, in the end, I ended up riding in Han Jaeyeong’s car and arrived at the dungeon on Yeongjongdo.
Once this is over, I swear I’m getting my driver’s license… wait, is that a death flag?
Fortunately, since we avoided the peak rush-hour traffic, it took less than an hour to reach the dungeon on Yeongjongdo. In the middle of a desolate open lot off the main road, an unreal, diamond-shaped form floated in the air, marking the dungeon entrance. If the system lacks any sense, this is what you get.
The system does not accept criticism based on personal taste.
You bastard.
While I was bickering with the system, Han Jaeyeong got out of the car behind me, put on a mask, and frowned. “I expected a dump, but the smell is awful.”
“Tell me about it.”
I took one too. The open lot was piled high with garbage meant to be dumped inside the dungeon, literal mountains of it.
“They dump trash here once every three days, I hear. Maximum stay inside the dungeon is about three hours. By the system’s safety guidelines, that’s cutting it pretty close.”
System Guide: We recommend clearing the dungeon as quickly as possible.
System Guide: The longer the dungeon clear time, the greater the risk level.
That's right. The system does not encourage humans to remain inside dungeons for long, naturally so. Dungeons are fundamentally “other worlds,” and from Earth’s perspective, they’re direct corridors leading straight to an invader’s base. The longer humans fail to clear a dungeon and remain inside, the closer the distance between dimensions becomes. That’s also why the system forcibly returns players the moment the clear conditions are met.
Of course, that’s the policy of the system, a collective intelligence concerned solely with humanity’s survival.
“Still, trying to dump about 450 tons of trash every three days… even three hours wouldn’t be enough.”
From a human perspective, where survival isn’t the only concern, the situation looks different. To humanity, dungeons are practically paradise in a world where resources are drying up. If necessary, people often deliberately delay clearing a dungeon, even with system warnings flashing, to extend their stay inside.
This place is just used as a dumping ground, so three hours is apparently enough, but in dungeons with rare minerals or crops, that kind of thing happens all the time. It wasn’t particularly surprising. It’s the same as ignoring warnings about rising sea levels because today’s heat is more pressing.
People ignore visible abnormal weather; why would they care about invisible risks? What matters more right now is dumping these mountains of trash into another dimension without spending a fortune.
Honestly… what a bunch of vermin.
“Why do you look so scary all of a sudden?”
"...Me?"
“Yes, you, Hunter Jeong Daon. Here, look. Your brow’s already furrowed, and you’re still young.”
“Get your hand away from me.”
“Meoowk!”
As Han Jaeyeong reached out to press my brow, Leo, who was nestled in my arms, lashed out with his paw and smacked their hand away. I’ve never been so proud of my creation.
Han Jaeyeong, who nearly had their skin torn by those sharp claws, let out an exaggerated sigh. “Wow, how am I supposed to live with something that scary? Could you at least tell him I’m an ally, for now?”
“Who’s an ally?”
“Come on, while you’re a temporary guild member, that makes us temporary allies. Oh, looks like a few more temporary allies are arriving.”
As they spoke, Han Jaeyeong pointed at an SUV entering the open lot.
Several people got out of the stopped SUV. The first to catch my eye was a woman with short hair, a longsword at her side, and light leather armor. She was tall, with a well-trained build. The very image of a swordswoman. Mid-twenties, maybe.
The woman spotted Han Jaeyeong and me and sprinted over like a bullet. “Wow, Hunter Jeong Daon! You
are
Hunter Jeong Daon, right? I’ve wanted to meet you ever since I saw you on the news, can’t believe we’re meeting like this! Nice to meet you, I’m Shin Jieum.”
Shin Jieum greeted me energetically and held out her hand.