The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 124



Only Noblemtl

Episode 124

124. I will call assistants.

“So what you’re saying is, Captain Kang, you have a disease called mana addiction and are vulnerable to mana. Without that syringe, your life is at risk. Man, wouldn’t life be thrilling?”

“I don’t know when I’ll have a seizure since I took the potion. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to hold out for a few days. Or it could just get worse.”

“What if I have no luck?”

“In the worst case scenario, you could get sick and die today.”

Hyun Jeong-geon silently exclaimed, “Wow.”

It wasn’t surprising that someone who devoted his life to hunting monsters was suffering from a potentially fatal disease. What was more surprising was Kang Moo-hyuk’s attitude of being indifferent to a potentially fatal disease.

‘Why is a person with a terminal illness so uninspired? Even though we have medicine, all the injections we need right now are broken, and there are Chinese hunters outside looking for us.’

Kang Moo-hyuk continued speaking, holding up a small plastic case among his belongings on the bedside table.

“The only good thing about this unfortunate situation is that I still have this oral medication. It won’t completely control the symptoms, but it will help me endure the urgent situation. Well, this is also half-assed without the injection, so I’m still a bit worried.”

“Do you think that will buy you some time?”

“Usually, we work by assuming the worst case scenario. But right now, if we don’t look at it positively, the discussion itself won’t work. We first have to figure out the current situation and then decide on a direction.”

Hyun Jeong-geon nodded, then spoke, wiggling one finger on each hand.

“Good news and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?”

“Is there any good news in this situation?”

“Yes. Captain Kang, all of your injuries have been resolved. The broken limbs and head have been almost completely healed with potions.”

“The bad news is that the potion might kill you?”

“That’s one thing, but… what’s urgent right now is that communications here have been cut off.”

“Is this the weekend of God?”

Kang Moo-hyuk tilted his head with a questioning expression.

“No matter how much influence the Chinese hunters have, Shinuiju is strictly speaking Korean territory. It’s a bit excessive to turn an entire city into a wasteland just to catch two people.”

“When I say this place, I mean only this prison village.”

“I expected it, but this is the only place to hide. So, is this the current president’s hideout?”

“Did you know I was here?”

“I heard you talking to Jang Joong-sun earlier.”

“When did you learn Chinese?”

“It’s a translation artifact. The tie pin on the table over there. It’s an item sponsored by the World Hunters’ Federation.”

“Alliance?”

Hyun Jeong-geon pretended to be calm on the outside but couldn’t hide his surprise on the inside.

Since the Great War, the Federation has had no ties to Korea. There were rumors that the Hunter Association President had once been active, but officially, Korea was a periphery of the world hunter community. It was a world apart from the Federation’s status as a globally influential organization.

It was surprising in itself that a C-class Korean guild and federation, which were clearly at a disadvantage to anyone, were involved.

‘But the fact that Captain Kang is connected to the federation.’

It would be reasonable to suspect that something was happening behind the scenes that was not just a problem for the Iron Will Guild, but something that would shake up the entire Korean hunter community.

Kang Mu-hyeok added, as if he had read Hyun Jeong-geon’s thoughts.

“It’s not that I pursued any grandiose projects because the other party was a federation. I just met them through an introduction by Chairman Han Byeong-gu.”

The moment Kang Mu-hyeok mentioned the word business and Han Byeong-gu, Hyun Jeong-geon’s thoughts became more complicated.

Big or small, it means that you did business with the Federation. And it was Han Byeong-gu on top of that.

There was a lot of talk about him being a toothless tiger or an old-fashioned hunter, but there was no denying his status in the Korean hunter world and the symbolism he showed to the Korean people.

‘Usually it’s a story of hiding. If you wanted to show off, you would have told the press a long time ago. But what is the symbol of you telling me? I can’t figure out what your intentions are.’

As before, Hyun Jeong-geon felt uneasy when he saw Kang Mu-hyeok, who was still inscrutable.

I wonder if Kang Moo-hyuk is the only one having fun before I am having fun. I got stabbed in the back of the head a few times when we were working together at Titan.

Of course, even that was considered a fun game by Hyun Jeong-geon.

Basically, he had a unique moral code that the one who was wronged was at fault.

“I was briefly lost in Samcheonpo. Let’s talk about communications again. Do these kinds of communication failures happen often in prison villages?”

“It’s not common, but it’s not unusual either. This is the worst place in Sinuiju, which is notorious for its weak infrastructure. If you just cut the cable lines and turn off a few base stations, it’ll be back to the Joseon Dynasty.”

“Then, let’s do it the Joseon Dynasty way. How about using people to contact the outside world? Go to a place where there is communication and contact Iron Will.”

“Do you think those guys who have decided to block communication will let someone go? These bastards are really bad guys. There’s chaos outside the prison village right now. They’re blocking all the roads and controlling movement.”

“Controlling movement means… … .”

“It means that none of the villagers can come in or go out.”

Kang Moo-hyuk asked back as if he didn’t understand the current situation.

“If traffic is blocked, logistics will also be blocked. Are the people here just sitting still? As far as I know, even Chinese hunters don’t dare mess with this place.”

“You can’t touch them. People here are crazy dogs. Once they bite, they won’t let go.”

“But?”

“Even a mad dog has a family. They may not be afraid of fighting, but they are afraid of their parents and children getting hurt. If a big battle breaks out, it is the civilians who will ultimately be sacrificed. They will not fight in Shinuiju unless it is really serious.”

“Show your strength but avoid conflict? That’s a good strategy.”

“In our terms, it’s a reasonable compromise.”

“It’s also an excuse for the weak. Just holding on for today. If it’s true that China is trying to take over Sinuiju, then this kind of mindset won’t last long.”

Kang Moo-hyuk’s assessment may sound like a quibble at first glance, but in reality, he was just stating the truth.

Hyun Jeong-geon pointed out a more urgent problem.

“We might be the first to fall.”

“What does that mean?”

“I heard this when I went out to take a look around. Jang Joong-sun warned the prison village. He said that if they don’t hand me and the leader over, they won’t lift the siege. They’re telling us to choose between starving to death or capturing us and offering us up.”

Kang Moo-hyuk’s expression became more serious than ever.

“Maybe just hiding won’t be enough to get us out alive. We need more information.”

* * *

While Kang Mu-hyeok was trapped in Shinuiju, Bukpocheon was also starting an uneasy day.

Joo Se-ah was stranded in Bukpocheon, unable to find out the whereabouts of Kang Mu-hyeok, who had been out of contact all night.

“So what do those tigers and cats want?”

“These are hunters who are being held in the basement of our guild.”

“Did Chief Kang put it in?”

“yes.”

After hearing Jang Deuk-gu’s report, Joo Se-ah rested her chin on the desk and fell into thought.

‘If you were going to make such a fuss, what were you doing when Eulji was arrested? No matter how I think about it, this is suspicious.’

Last night, the Baekho Guild suddenly occupied the entrance to Bukpocheon and even kicked out all the management office staff and staged a violent protest. In the early morning, they climbed over the barbed wire fence and approached the guild headquarters, threatening everyone.

As soon as Jang Deuk-gu and Lee Jin-ju led the reserve expedition team, he immediately retreated, but rather than being scared, it seemed like he was trying to appeal that he could come in at any time.

Joo Se Ah thought that the Baekho Guild’s movements were somehow related to the loss of contact with Kang Mu Hyuk.

Although there was no evidence, the timing of the armed demonstration was exquisite.

“It was as if they were tying my feet up, as if they knew something.”

“So you’re saying that it has to do with Chief Kang Mu-hyeok?”

“It’s suspicious that these guys, who are the size of a guild, are acting so lethally when they’re in a hunting ground where even a random fight is suspicious.”

“It’s the Baekho Guild.”

Joo Se-ah nodded in response to Jang Deuk-gu’s comment.

“I know they’re thugs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have brains. I’m even more suspicious of them because they never do anything they don’t get.”

“No matter what, we have to move quickly. We don’t know what kind of danger Captain Kang is in. We have to make a decision between breaking through these guys or destroying them all.”

Jang Deok-gu had no intention of resolving the issue through dialogue.

Since he was active as an executor, no one had ever heard of anyone resolving the issue amicably with the Baekho Guild. It didn’t matter if the opponent was a hunter or a guild. It was a common belief in the industry that if you got caught by them, you wouldn’t even get your bones cut off.

Jang Deuk-gu, who knows well about the Baekho Guild’s evil deeds, was considering the famous saying in the hunter world, ‘Fists speak louder than words’, as his first priority.

The reason I was so confident while dealing with the Tier Guild was because of Joo Seah’s presence.

“No. I guess I should stay at headquarters.”

When Joo Se-ah, who had been thinking for a long time, opened her mouth, Jang Deuk-gu asked with a puzzled look.

“I thought you cared about Captain Kang… . This is unexpected.”

“As a Gilma, I can’t just leave the guild. Especially with that bastard… ahem, even more so with that rogue guild in front of me.”

“You’ve lost your temper quite a bit. Should I say that I’m proud of this, or that I’m disappointed?”

“Even Captain Kang would have judged it that way. He said that protecting the guild is the top priority of a guild leader.”

When Joo Se-ah made up her mind, Jang Deuk-gu suggested another alternative.

“Then, how about sending a search team to Sinuiju with me or Captain Lee Jin-ju in charge?”

“Both of you can’t. No, I can never take out the top power of the guild. Considering the difference in power with the Baekho Guild, even if I reveal my power, I can’t avoid the sacrifice of the members. I can’t stop ten thieves with one hand, so I don’t know what they’ll do. Of course, I wouldn’t fight them head-on in South Korea unless I was crazy.”

“The problem is that the people you’re dealing with are those crazy guys. They’re the ones who are good at talking behind people’s backs.”

“Yes. There is that aspect, but I also believe that if it were Director Kang, he would have taken care of me somehow.”

“So, are you saying that we should wait and see until the Baekho Guild withdraws?”

“No way. But if I let it go, I wouldn’t be qualified to be a Gilma, right?”

“What are you going to do?”

Joo Se Ah said, putting her hand on the receiver.

“You have to use the cards you can use. You will call in your helpers. Very trustworthy.”

* * *

Baekho Guild’s Bugilma Umyeongjin was talking on the phone to someone while looking at the barbed wire fence that bordered Bukpocheon.

“Mr. Jang, is it really Kang Mu-hyeok that you met with the problem child?”

-There was a lot of talk on TV for a while. Among our kids, there was a guy who recognized the face. It was definitely Kang Moo-hyuk.

“This is going in a weird direction.”

-We are currently searching. Please buy us some time while we process it. It will be difficult if Joo Se Ah comes to Shin Ui Ju.

“Jusea is not that much of a troublemaker. She has been quiet since she moved to Taesung, but she is not called a witch or a disaster for nothing. Why is a disaster a disaster? It is a disaster that suddenly strikes one day. Fortunately, Gilma seems to have matured since she took her seat. Judging from the fact that she does not vacate her seat rashly.”

-It’s uncomfortable that our hunters who were chasing that North Korean hunter are being exposed, but it’s even more threatening that Kang Moo-hyuk might return with some information from Hyun Jeong-geon.

“Please handle this as quickly as possible. The government is starting to make a fuss about what’s going on.”

-Yes. There will be some interruptions, but it won’t take too long. Okay.

After finishing the call, Eum Jin-jin looked around at the guild members who had set up a large tent and were starting to settle in.

Then, I noticed a car running towards the special activity management office.

The Baekho Guild Hunters stopped the vehicle as they had done to the visitors so far. However, there was a brief scuffle, and soon a dull noise was heard along with shouts.

Uhm Jin-ah approached the vehicle himself to see who was acting so arrogant in front of the name of the Baekho Guild.

Hunters were lying around the vehicle, groaning and slumping. Seeing their foolish appearance, Um Jin-jin was filled with anger and decided to punish the person who had beaten up the members without thinking about the consequences.

“What kind of guy dares to ignore the warnings of the White Tiger Guild and cause a commotion?!”

“That guy is me. Um Eum-jin.”

“Why are you here… … .”

“You little brat, have you become short-spoken? You idiot, you’ve become so successful that you can’t even recognize your seniors anymore? Do you think the president of the association is funny?!”

“Aha, it seems like Joo Se Ah has definitely become a troublemaker. She’s summoning the president of the association. You didn’t come here to say things like mediate, or tell her to step down, or something like that, right?”

“Look at this guy. He just put on the Tier Guild hat and now he’s leaving?”

“If I have given you the title of Association President, then live the rest of your life quietly and go. ‘Great’ Senior.”

Despite Uhm Jin’s provocation, Han Byeong-gu only turned red and blue in the face, but he held his temper in and endured it without losing his temper like usual.

“I didn’t come here to stop you. This isn’t a fight between kids or adults, and I’m too old to get involved in the fight between hunters wielding their swords.”

“Then why did you come?”

“Why did you come? I came to see my granddaughter.”

“granddaughter?”

“grandfather!”

Suddenly, a voice was heard from the barbed wire fence, causing Eum Jin-jin to turn around.

There, a school girl was seen stamping her feet in front of the iron fence. And behind her, a wolf was riding on top of her… … .

“Please.”

Uhm Jin-ah flinched at the name that came out of his mouth without him knowing. He realized that he had become nervous just by Joo Se-ah’s appearance.

“Because a dirty bastard like you blocked the road, Youngjin, my granddaughter who went on a field trip couldn’t come home and is stuck there. What’s the big deal? Is it okay now?”

“Chairman, please hurry and take your granddaughter.”

As Joo Se Ah waved her hand and shouted, Han Byung Gu changed his wrinkled expression into a smile and walked towards the barbed wire fence.

Eum Jin-jin couldn’t bring himself to stop her. He didn’t ask if she was his real granddaughter. They looked alike. Even if she wasn’t real, there was no way to confirm it, and he had no reason to stop her.

‘He looks young, so I guess he’s still a student. Even if I steal one hunter, I won’t be able to go help Kang Mu-hyeok. And I won’t be able to move the association president just to do something like that. It’s ambiguous, so I think it’s best to just leave him alone.’

Even their appearance was natural, like that of a grandfather and his granddaughter.

“Grandpa, why are you so late? I’m hungry.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s go. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Pocheon. Should we grab some ribs on the way?”

“Wow, eating out is great.”

“Hey, get in the car.”

While the two grandsons were getting into the car, Uhm Jin-ah glared at Joo Se-ah through the iron fence between them.

“Joo Gilma, is there something really sinister about you? Did you call the association president on purpose? To show off your friendship with us? Sorry, but that guy’s words are old news. What you did was useless.”

“You are definitely a fan.”

“what?”

“I’m going to beat you. I’m going to beat you twice. I’m going to beat you three times.”

“Are you ignoring me now?”

“But not today. Later. I swear, I will beat you.”

Eum Jin-ah, who was dumbfounded, ended up bursting out laughing. However, he couldn’t laugh anymore when he saw Joo Se-ah’s eyes filled with murderous intent.

It was the witch’s eyes.

Eyes full of disaster.

The thought crossed his mind that one day, that disaster could suddenly strike him.

* * *

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

“Yes, hello. Oh! Are you Gilma-nim Ju Se-ah? How did you get this number? Well, Manager Kang must have taught you. So, if you’re not Manager Kang, why are you Gilma-nim here today? Huh? Work? No, what the hell is this guild leader and Gilma-go manipulating people like this… How much? Once again. How much? … … Oh, customer. So what do I have to do? Oh, of course. There’s no one as reliable a worker in this industry as this Mister Cho. Yes. Shin Ui-ju. So. Oh, with Go Eul-ji? Yes. Okay. I don’t work with him. Yes? Ttabl? Hmm… . Gasp! Ttabl? Oh, customer. Then, where should I join you? Of course. I won’t cause any problems with the kid. I’m a pro. Then, the deposit… . Huh? Wait a minute. Why the text… . Oh my, down payment? Unnie, that’s so cool. This much money in a lump sum? As expected, Korea is the best. Your distribution is different. Haha. Yes. I will definitely come find you. Don’t worry. If you haven’t died, I will bring you back safely. No, even if you are dead, I will carry the coffin out. Yes. Go in.”

Click.

“Guys, wake up. Work. Work. Since we paid in advance, let’s get motivated to work.”