The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 116



Only Noblemtl

Episode 116

116. Please save me tomorrow.

Before going hunting, Seo Su-ji and her group visited the Hunter Village shopping district to fill up on supplies.

Each store was nothing more than a modular building constructed from factory-made containers, but the modern exterior finish gave it a sophisticated feel.

Most of the companies that have moved in are medium-sized and small businesses.

They took advantage of the limited entry of large corporations into the old Sanjeong Lake site, where the water had drained, and launched an aggressive marketing campaign until the shopping mall was completed.

The interior was tastefully decorated to appeal to young hunters, and the store staff was thoroughly trained in service. A large-scale discount event was a bonus.

Thanks to its comfortable shopping space that rivals that of famous outlets, Hunter Village Shopping Mall has been thriving since its opening, attracting many hunters.

“Selling it this cheap? Wow~ Even though it’s an opening event… Isn’t this a steal? I think I should go into debt to fill my backpack with this stuff.”

It may seem expensive for a sword that can’t be retrieved if thrown, but that’s only based on the average person’s standards.

For hunters, even if it was just for a one-time use, they wouldn’t mind paying 100 million won if it meant saving their lives.

Lee Cheol-jin caught Seo Su-ji’s eyes sparkling at the equipment.

“Hey, our budget right now is… … .”

“Oh my god, F*ck. A level 3 stamina ampoule for this price? I have to buy this!”

Seo Su-ji shook off Lee Cheol-jin’s persuasion and ran into the potion shop. Lee Cheol-jin let out a sigh into the air.

“Yeah, when did you listen to me? Do whatever you want. The only thing left is debt.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. These seem like pretty good items. I think it would be a good idea to get a few while you have the chance. The price is also reasonable.”

Yoo Tae-jin burst into laughter, patted Lee Cheol-jin on the shoulder, and followed Seo Su-ji in.

When even Yoo Tae-jin let go of his shopping spree, Lee Cheol-jin couldn’t hold out any longer. He was also a tanker who was more thirsty for equipment than anyone else. He couldn’t afford expensive equipment like members of large guilds or regular raiding parties, but at least some preparation was essential.

And even if you just take a quick look around, the items in the shops here are definitely cheaper than other places. The quality is also good, as guaranteed by the Iron Will Guild.

“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s get another loan, okay?”

The store was bustling with customers. At first glance, the shelves looked empty. It seemed like there wasn’t much stock left. I had to grab whatever I could see.

Seo Su-ji quickly flew towards the display case and stretched out her hand.

The moment she picked up the potion on the shelf, a hand squeezed through a very small gap. In an instant, the hand snatched up the few remaining potions. The hand movements were so quick that while Seo Soo-ji was at a loss, the other person took all the remaining supplies.

“What, what is it? Who the hell is that… .”

“I’m sorry, but this time it’s not a fight. This is a fair competition.”

“You again?”

When Seo Su-ji suddenly came in and spoke informally to her, Lee Sook-young’s expression changed.

“You? You’re a South Korean woman, so you’re used to speaking informally. I apologized yesterday for my mistake, but not this time.”

“What? Hey, what’s wrong with your mom? Did you just get upset?”

“Padrip? What are you talking about? It’s all Seoul dialect. I can’t understand it.”

“The northern dialect is the same.”

“We can’t even communicate with each other, so let’s each go our separate ways. I’m tired of talking to each other.”

As Lee Sook-young turned around, Seo Soo-ji grabbed her shoulder.

“It’s okay to go, but for the sake of conscience, I’d like you to give me half of the potion before you go.”

“You left the potion with me?”

“I made the reservation first.”

“Whether you make stew or soup, you can eat it alone. I’ll take this potion later.”

“hey!”

Lee Sook-young roughly shook off Seo Soo-ji’s hand and headed to the checkout counter.

“Hey! Is this real?”

Seo Su-ji ran after him. At this time, Lee Cheol-jin stopped her.

“Hey, don’t do that.”

“Let go! Phew, okay. Let’s not fight. Let’s just talk… … .”

“Have you ever been in a fight and not thrown a punch? Just don’t do it.”

“It depends on how they come out.”

“Go outside and tell me.”

Outside the window that Lee Cheol-jin pointed to, a hunter wearing a black coat was passing by.

The hunter was wearing an armor coat with the Ironwill Guild emblem on it and a band around his arm that said ‘Patrol’.

Unlike the other Iron Will guild members who worked in pairs, she was alone and had a young face that looked more like a student than an adult, but this was a world where you couldn’t look down on someone just by looking at their face. If you looked down on someone just because they were a woman or a child, you’d most likely get a big nosebleed.

“If you cause trouble in Hunter Village, you’ll be kicked out, right? Don’t forget that you signed a no-trespassing clause when you made your reservation.”

Seo Su-ji bit her lip and glared at Lee Sook-young’s back. She was leaving the store with a shopping bag filled with potions.

“Oh my, it would be nice if we met outside.”

Although he was blatantly showing his will to kill, Lee Sook-young did not look back. She completely ignored him.

‘Even though our ranks look similar, you’re still ignoring me? Come on, try one more time. Then I won’t be able to tolerate it.’

* * *

After purchasing supplies at the shopping mall, Seo Su-ji and her party received a monster distribution map at the community center and then went hunting.

Freelancers who entered as individuals had to get a party member arranged by the center, but hunters who had already formed a party like Seo Su-ji and her group were able to move right away after gathering only the minimum amount of information.

Unfortunately, it was only the second day since the Bukpocheon hunting grounds opened, so there was no information to listen to at the center.

Although I had obtained information on the hunting grounds, I couldn’t blindly trust the information I had obtained because it was a special area where monsters were created due to spatial distortion and changes in vegetation frequently occurred. So I had to conduct an exploration at the same time.

And the information gained from these explorations surprisingly turned out to be profitable.

Quality information was entrusted to the center for a fee. From the center’s perspective, it was good because they could easily obtain information on regional changes, and it was convenient for hunters because they could profit without having to waste time selling information separately.

Although there is a fee for information sales agency, it is a reasonable cost determined by considering information value level and number of sellers, so it is trustworthy. In other words, it is a transaction that neither the seller nor the buyer have to worry about.

When the quality of information was a bit low, one way was to put your name on the line and release it for free. It was good for building awareness just by having hunters who received free information remember the name of the information provider.

Recognition leads to connections, and connections are advantageous for joining parties. It is a method of networking that beginner hunters should consider.

“If you want to grab something to eat, you’d better move quickly. Before that, let’s stretch our bodies a bit.”

Party leader Yoo Tae-jin led the party to a hunting ground near the Sanjeong Lake site. It was a place where low-level monsters were mixed together. It was a choice to revive the senses that had become dull after a while of resting, and to get in sync with one another.

Seo Su-ji spoke with anticipation, stroking the bowstring.

“Ugh, if we can find just one herb habitat during this hunt, it’ll be a jackpot. Look here, the guidebook. The reward from Iron Will is quite high. Of course, I’ll have to sell them all before reporting. The commission here is 10%, right?”

“That’s a byproduct. Herbs are 15, ores are 20.”

“What? Why is it so expensive?”

“The collected goods are difficult to process. If you sell them outside, you’ll get a 30% tax anyway. No matter how you look at it, selling them here is a better deal.”

“Well, it’s better to handle it here than to go around fighting all over the place… What? Why are there so many people?”

The hunting grounds we finally arrived at were filled with quite a few hunters. There were almost more hunters than monsters.

“We all think similarly.”

Yoo Tae-jin frowned.

Seo Su-ji and her group, who had hunted a few horses in the middle, decided to move.

“My body is a little loose, but there’s nothing I can do. Let’s go a little further.”

“Yeah. The population density here is so high it’s driving me nuts.”

Yoo Tae-jin spread out the map.

“Where should we go? West? East?”

To the east of Sanjeong Lake was Idong-myeon.

The Baekun Valley in Idongmyeon had a high level of monsters overall. In particular, the ones called ‘clapping gorillas’ were threatening. They were guys who would flatten their prey with their palms, which were as big as a person’s torso. In addition, they lived in groups. Attacking one was like attacking the entire group, so they were guys you didn’t want to mess with unless absolutely necessary.

“This guy’s leather is salty, but… It’s too much for the three of us.”

“What about the south?”

“There are all sorts of things there. But most of them are fast-moving, like the ‘Three-Striped Raptor’ or the ‘Saw-Beaked Ostrich.’ If you lack mobility, you’ll just have a hard time.”

“But they have a lot of claws, feathers, and food. Wouldn’t it be worth a try if you pulled them out with a bow?”

“Would you ever lose your temper if you chased him before luring him?”

Lee Cheol-jin pointed out Seo Su-ji’s opinion. Yoo Tae-jin agreed.

“We’re a half-party, right? Even a full party isn’t efficient in an open space like this. It might be different if we fill it all with fast dealers.”

“Then, the west?”

“Well. They say there’s a mix of orcs and goblins here. The southwest is too much trouble for us. The north would be better. I’ve caught blood squirrels and razor-blade raccoons before.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to climb a mountain.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

The northern part of Bukpocheon was mountainous.

Originally, the terrain of Bukpocheon was gentle, but after a long time since the special zone was created, the terrain has changed. It has become difficult for ordinary people to walk.

The problem was that it was hard for the hunters as well. To be exact, it was more inconvenient than hard. The terrain was rough and complex, so visibility was limited.

If you can’t secure a field of vision, it’s difficult to deal with a sudden encounter with a monster. You might even run into a monster that surpasses your party’s capabilities.

In times like these, the ones who show their power are the Ranger series, specialized in reconnaissance.

Rangers are classified as dealers in a broad sense, but hunters are further divided into classes. This distinction was created during the know-how to accurately understand skills and hunting styles.

Seo Su-ji was a hunter specializing in the ranger class. Although she was only a freelance hunter with 4 years of experience, she demonstrated skills that were no less than those of any other guild-affiliated hunter.

However, Lee Cheol-jin, who knew Seo Su-ji’s hasty personality well, was anxious.

“Is this the right way?”

“That’s right. Have you been living a life of deception?”

“I’ve been fooled by you more than once or twice. I can’t count the number of fingers even if I open and close them twice. This time, let’s stop fooling around and focus, please.”

“Oh, I’m serious now. It’s cursive.”

“I’m more anxious when you’re serious.”

“Don’t worry. According to my ‘Jicheongsul’ skill, I can hear a noise from over there. Their movements are so lively that they’re exactly like the Blade Raccoons. There are five or six of them. Are you okay?”

“Just do your pooling well. My brother and I will take care of the rest, so just provide support properly.”

“You keep ignoring me. This is my chance to show you what I’m capable of. Okay, we’re all here. If we just go around here—huh?”

As Seo Su-ji turned around the rock, the first thing that caught her eye was the face of a familiar person.

The problem is that the character is sitting there with his stomach stabbed while surrounded by other hunters?

A familiar face, specifically a hunter from the North named Lee Sook-young, greeted Seo Su-ji and her group happily.

“Comrade Cho, Cho Won! Why are you coming now? Please hurry up and save me.”

“What is he saying… … .”

When Lee Sook-young waved her hand and asked for help, the hunters turned their heads toward Seo Soo-ji and her group.

Seo Su-ji broke out in a cold sweat at the sight of those murderous eyes.

“… That’s it. No, sir, there’s something wrong… … .”

The tips of their swords were turned towards Seo Su-ji and her group.

* * *

Kang Moo-hyuk received a phone call from Russia.

“It’s been a while, Guildmaster Anton. I didn’t know you would call me directly.”

-I heard that while I was away for a moment, you requested information from our side.

“The fact that you contacted me directly means that the matter is not light.”

A sigh escaped Anton’s mouth first at Kang Mu-hyeok’s question.

-There is no light news from the Demon Realm, but this time… It has become really annoying for the first time in a long time.

“How much is it?”

-Do you know about the Blagoveshchensk incident?

Kang Moo-hyuk swallowed his sigh. It was because he knew about the incident.

Blagoveshchensk.

This city was originally the capital of the Russian Amur Oblast. It was a city adjacent to Heilongjiang Province in the northeastern provinces, but after the creation of the Demonic Realm, it fell into that area and became a place where humans could no longer live.

And 7 years ago.

A gate containing enormous resources was discovered here. It was a treasure trove of such value that the Russian government even mobilized the Tier Guilds of Moscow to find it.

Its value was equivalent to 3% of Russia’s GDP at the time.

A whopping 48 billion dollars. About 60 trillion won in Korean currency.

This was also when only the resource itself was assessed, and when considering the case of processing and selling, the added value was indescribable.

Russia soon decided to break out of this gate, leaving the nuke intact while taking out only the boss and the guardian.

But this time China intervened.

At first, they tried to occupy the gate, but it was difficult for China to do anything because it was close to the Russian border.

After several rounds of fighting, China gave up the gate. Of course, they didn’t back down quietly. They had a wicked symbol that if they couldn’t eat it, they wouldn’t let the other side eat it either.

“You’re talking about the incident in China where the gates were blown up.”

-Yes, that’s right. Depending on the gate level, it’s a method that completely returns a fairly large area to the primitive era. It can’t be used in the city, but it wouldn’t be a problem in the Demon Realm. I’ve known the Chinese guys were crazy for a long time, but I didn’t know they would go out like that. That’s why the conflicts became more intense after that incident.

Despite information control by both governments, which at one point bordered on war, the Blagoveshchensk incident became known to the entire world.

Kang Moo-hyuk was not happy about the possibility that such a large-scale incident could happen again.

Unlike back then, Korean tier guilds have recently begun to take a keen interest in the Demon Realm.

If Korea advanced northward, it could become embroiled in their conflict, as it borders the Demonic Realm.

“How is it different this time compared to that time?”

-Three Russian Tier Guilds, eight A-rank Guilds, and thirteen mid-level Guilds. There are a total of twenty-four guilds with revealed relationships. If you count the small and medium-sized guilds that have joined them, it would be impossible to keep track of them all.

“You can put that much power into one gate?”

-Not one.

“yes?”

-This time there are only five known gates.

“!!”