The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 57



Only Noblemtl

Episode 58

58. There will be no more regrets later.

The Taegeuk Guild, like the Titan Guild, was a well-established A-class guild in Yeouido. In fact, it had a longer history than the Titans. It was a guild that had survived the Great War and had the pride to do so. However, it had recently been losing to the Titans, who had a much shorter history, and had been harboring a grudge.

Jo Ik-jun was recognized for his abilities as the strategy team leader of a prestigious guild with a long history.

His strength, contrary to his appearance, was his decisiveness in making sharp decisions.

His decisiveness was also evident in today’s meeting. The other guild members held their breath and watched his decision.

“The broken body of Hunter Jeong Ho-yeon is discarded. Why? Why is everyone silent. Huh?! Did I express it too much? Sorry. I was not tactful. Let me correct it. I am dismissing you. Please pass this on to the HR team and have them process it. Manager Lee, it seems like you have something to say. Say it.”

The suddenly pointed out agent hesitated and then carefully opened his mouth.

“It seems that Hunter Jeong Ho-yeon still wants to play as an active player. Although his health is not very good due to the aftereffects of the last hunt, if he receives potion treatment and rehabilitates well, he will be close to his prime… … .”

“Do you really think this is an aftereffect of the last hunt?”

“yes?”

“That guy is so broken. Of course, he can handle short battles. But he can’t handle the gate. He’s fine for normal life, but he’s not a body that can be healed with treatment or rehabilitation.”

“But the medical team… … .”

“Mimo-nabang powder, hallucinogenic mushroom spores. I heard that some hunters these days mix them into a cocktail. If a hunter uses it for a long time, their concentration will decrease and their body will recover slowly. I heard that Hunter Jeong Ho-yeon also used it. Since he went on dangerous hunting trips, he kept getting injured. Everyone disciplines their hunters well. Tell them to take good care of their bodies. Warn them that if they use such dirty things and break something, they will be fired immediately.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. The medical team leader is also resigning as of today. Please notify the HR department.”

The staff looked at him with a puzzled look. Was this measure taken because they misjudged Jeong Ho-yeon’s condition? Jo Ik-jun answered their questions.

“The reason is the concealment and manipulation of Hunter information through bribery. That person took the money that Jeong Ho-yeon gave him.”

Only then did I understand Jo Ik-jun’s decision, and at the same time, I felt goosebumps. How much does this person know about what’s going on in the guild?

No matter how severe the guild’s interference is, it is amazing that they have such a perfect grasp of the hunter’s physical condition and the corruption of their employees. I was able to clearly see once again what kind of person Jo Ik-jun is.

“That’s it for today’s meeting. I have a guest appointment.”

* * *

Jo Ik-jun felt a subtle change in the atmosphere surrounding Kang Mu-hyeok, who was drinking coffee. He had been a difficult opponent before, but he seemed to have gained considerable experience in the short time he had been with him.

‘Did the position make the person, or did he originally have this level of skill?’

Even non-hunters show off their hunter-like momentum when clearing gates.

Jo Ik-jun was secretly impressed, but he hid it and treated Kang Mu-hyeok playfully.

“Hey, how long has it been? Was the last time at Sogang University Gate?”

“It’s been a while, Team Leader Jo Ik-jun. I hope everything has been fine.”

“There were a lot of things that happened. It’s fortunate that there were no major accidents. Oh, come to think of it, you’re the captain now, right? It’s a bit awkward to treat you like you used to. What should we do, Captain Kang Moo-hyuk? Should we talk about work while keeping things light?”

Jo Ik-jun suddenly changed his tone to a businesslike tone during the conversation. In that moment, his usual easygoing demeanor and the dignity of the Taegeuk Guild’s strategy team leader came over him.

“What’s so special about being the leader of a C-class border guild? Just do as you always did.”

“Well, it’s a bit awkward to be polite between us. Speak comfortably. Speak comfortably.”

“I don’t know what our relationship is, but let me get to the point first.”

“Yeah, what’s going on?”

“I have come to request a transfer.”

“Director Kang Mu-hyeok. It’s difficult to do this here.”

“Why did your tone suddenly change? You said we should be comfortable.”

“There are rumors going around that you took Jinju Hunter from Titan. Who are you trying to take away? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

“Can’t you even listen to the suggestions between us?”

“What’s the big deal between us? I won’t listen. I won’t listen.”

Jo Ik-jun covered his ears and muttered. Kang Moo-hyuk spoke without paying attention to his reaction.

“I propose to recruit Hunter Baek Seong-bin.”

“No, why that waste?”

“You said you weren’t listening?”

“Hey, man! You’re making people curious and then saying something like that?”

“Even though he says he’s a loser, he still remains in the Taegeuk Guild. Team Leader Cho is the one who cuts him off with a single stroke if he feels like it.”

“Lottery ticket. I kept it with me as if it were an unscratched lottery ticket. I was planning on putting it on the list for release next quarter anyway.”

“And you’ll worry about it. After worrying about it, you’ll move on to the next quarter. How many years did you spend like that? About five years?”

“4 years and 1 month… No, then just throw away someone with the healing factor trait? I’m not the type of person who has difficulty making decisions. If Chief Kang keeps Baek Seong-bin, he’ll probably end up like me. It’d be a shame to throw him away, but it’d be a pain to keep him. It’s a total burden.”

Kang Moo-hyuk thought about Baek Seong-bin.

‘Possessor of a considerable healing factor. Contrastingly, low tactical understanding. A personality that acts on its own. A reckless tanking style that relies on recovery. Because of that, there have been more than a few times when other party members were put in danger because of poor aggro management. There were also actual damages.’

But strangely enough, no party members died.

Kang Moo-hyuk focused on that part.

‘If you look at the data, there were some worst-case scenarios that were quite difficult to handle. But strangely enough, no one died. That was the same during the operations outside the gate. Even when the situation on the ground was bad, it was rare for civilians to die.’

There were many instances of Baek Seong-bin ruining operations. If an unexpected serious accident occurred, it would take up a significant portion of the incident report submitted to the Hunter Association.

The report was made public so that anyone who was a hunter or a member of the guild could see it. It was like a kind of guideline to avoid accidents.

Kang Moo-hyeok had established several hypotheses and investigated Baek Seong-bin. Unfortunately, the Titan Guild and Taegeuk Guild were rivals in Yeouido and were also competitors who were aiming for the Tier Guild, so he could not even suggest a transfer.

But it was worth a try for Iron Will, who had no vested interests whatsoever.

“So you’re going to let the lottery ticket rot away for a thousand years, without knowing when it’ll explode? That’s not a good decision for Hunter Baek Seong-bin or the Taegeuk Guild.”

“I know that too. But when Director Kang comes out like this, I don’t want to give it to him anymore.”

“I will sell five rider wolves.”

“what?”

“But only when the next shipment arrives.”

“… … .”

“Are you aiming for Red Gate? I heard you’re competing with Titan. Red is a battle starting from capturing the gatekeeper. If you have Rider Wolf, it will be enough of an excuse to join forces with the guild that ranked first in capturing the gatekeeper. You can also get a bigger share in future attacks.”

“Huh? Chief Kang… You’re still the same old guy who brings people in.”

Jo Ik-jun always liked this aspect of Kang Moo-hyuk. He clearly knew when to have a secret meeting and when not to. Sometimes he would make an offer that could not be refused. He did not push things either. He created a win-win situation for both parties as much as possible.

Thanks to that, the Taegeuk Guild and the Titan Guild, which had always been at odds, were able to develop a relationship where they could coordinate and cooperate when Kang Mu-hyeok was the strategy team leader.

“But five is too few. They’re not free, and you have to pay for them. There should be at least ten… … .”

“Okay, I’ll sell you ten. But I won’t be lenient on future shipments.”

It was a threat to end it with a one-shot deal. Jo Ik-jun realized that he had been greedy for nothing. He quickly changed his words.

“That’s what they say, that’s what they say. It’s a shame, but five isn’t bad either.”

“The supply and demand problem will be resolved over time, so take a long-term view.”

“Does that mean you will continue to supply it in the future?”

“I won’t write a separate contract. Such privileges are sufficient for the Slayer Guild alone.”

“What do you mean by saying you will supply without a contract?”

“It means that as the captain, I personally take care of you.”

“Tch! That was good.”

Jo Ik-jun chewed his lower lip at Kang Mu-hyeok’s words.

‘Are you trying to put it in your hand and swing it around? Miss, this is like giving me a leash. But I feel bad about not taking it, and I feel uncomfortable about taking it.’

While thinking that this was truly a burden, Jo Ik-jun ultimately concluded that he had no choice but to accept it.

“Baek Seong-bin, Baek Seong-bin… . Hmm, Rider Wolf… … .”

When he heard the news about Rider Wolf, Jo Ik-jun’s feelings were simply ‘fucked.’

Kang Mu-hyeok’s parents’ side is the Titan Guild, and the Taegeuk Guild has bad relations with them, so there was concern that there might be discrimination in purchasing wolves.

The tier guilds will be after it too, so why would an A-rank guild that’s after the tier guilds fall for it?

It would be difficult, but I thought there might be a way. That is, if the opponent wasn’t Kang Mu-hyeok.

But those worries were completely dispelled.

Is Baek Seong-bin the only problem?

‘It’s a shame, but… . But it’s better to agree to the transfer than to let the rice cake, which I can’t eat right away, or rather, let it rot away because I might not be able to eat it forever.’

Finally, Jo Ik-jun raised both hands and gave a cautious warning.

“Hunter Baek Seong-bin. His potential is certain. But he might not explode. You know that and are taking him with you, right?”

“Before becoming the strategy team leader at Titan, didn’t you know what I do?”

“What did you do…? Ah, the hunting coordinator.”

“You have to train it well.”

“Wasn’t it Director Kang’s work that Lee Jin-ju was involved in back then? I guess he was tricked by that. Still, Lee Jin-ju is a winner. The odds of winning a lottery like that are extremely low. Baek Seong-bin is a mess, so there’s no way he’ll be able to turn it down later.”

“I thought you were worried about something, so that’s what you were going to say. You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t have any thoughts. Team Leader Cho, you shouldn’t be the one telling me to be quiet.”

“What crazy bastard is stepping down from Rider Wolf!”

* * *

“It was true that I was sold to wolves.”

Baek Seong-bin’s personality that I saw in person was that of a timid person? No, it would be more appropriate to say that he was reserved.

‘The reason I’m usually quiet is because I’m not very social.’

Looking at Baek Seong-bin’s actions while hunting, he was far from being timid.

How could a timid person rush in while having his insides burst from the fists of an ogre?

It’s not that the healing factor doesn’t make you feel pain. Rather, it means that someone who knows the pain and still charges forward is quite courageous.

In reality, there were many cases where people with healing factor traits ended up being just ordinary hunters because they were afraid of being sick.

Kang Moo-hyuk felt that the transfer needed some packaging.

“It’s not that I was sold to the wolves, but rather that I wanted to bring back Baek Seong-bin, the Hunter, even if it meant handing over our guild’s greatest asset.”

“I also know what the guild thinks of me. Everyone calls me a piece of shit. You brought in such a useless hunter by handing over Rider Wolf? Rider Wolf has been such a hot topic lately that I know how valuable it is. You paid too much for me to transfer.”

“Is that excessive? Well, I don’t know. It’s not like they’re giving away wolves for free, they’re just allocating the supply. I think it’s a bit too much. It’s just that I was able to get Baek Seong-bin as a hunter.”

“What do you see in a hunter who is a mess except for his healing factor?”

Baek Seong-bin disparaged himself without hesitation. It was a remark that seemed overly unconfident for a B+ rank hunter from the Taegeuk Guild.

However, Kang Moo-hyuk did not sense any signs of frustration or disappointment in Baek Seong-bin’s eyes. Rather, he felt that she had determination. Her gaze was unwavering, and she knew how to look people straight in the eye.

Kang Moo-hyuk said that he thought his opinion was correct.

“Healing Factor. That’s a very rare trait. Recovering quickly even when injured. Of course, it’s great. It’s a trait that’s highly valued in the industry. But did you know? There are very few hunters with healing factors who have reached the top. It’s the same even when you look at the entire world. Why is that?”

“Well, well.”

When Kang Mu-hyeok brought up a part that he had never paid attention to, Baek Seong-bin was embarrassed and asked back.

“It’s because they are overconfident. They don’t feel a sense of crisis because they think they won’t die unless their head is blown off. They don’t know how to take risks, so their development is slow.”

“Just because of that… … ?”

“It’s not ‘just’. Lack of sense of crisis and excessive confidence rob hunters of their purpose and sense of accomplishment. Not everyone is like that, but many of the healing factor owners I’ve seen have similar problems. The healing factor that has become famous are hunters who have overcome it to some extent through mental training, but even they have clear limitations.”

“I’ve never thought about that. I couldn’t even take care of myself right now, so I didn’t have time to think about things like confidence. It’s a world that doesn’t really make sense to me.”

“That’s exactly why I’m recruiting Hunter Baek Seong-bin.”

“Huh? What is that… … .”

“It becomes desperate, right? In a situation where people are dying. More than anyone else.”

“… … .”

“There is no specific mention of your personal history, but… Hunter Baek Seong-bin, have you ever lost someone to a monster before?”