The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 72



Only Noblemtl

Episode 73

73. This is definitely a thing.

Lee Jin-joo joined Joo Se-ah and relayed Kang Mu-hyeok’s plan.

Joo Se Ah heard the general outline of the plan, but not all the details, so it was only after receiving Lee Jin Joo’s report that she learned the full plan.

“Ha, this guy is for real. I knew he was a person who would just go out of his way, but I didn’t know he would try to turn even the headquarters into a sea of ​​water.”

“He looks like a gentle person, but he has a bit of an aggressive side. Of course, I can’t deny that the captain’s method definitely produces results.”

“Well, if there are a thousand orcs, maybe it’s cheaper to just throw away one building.”

Lee Jin-joo realized once again that Joo Se-ah and Kang Moo-hyuk look alike.

‘I heard through rumors that he hunts monsters with his eyes set ablaze. Isn’t this guy just as radical as the captain?’

Joo Se Ah didn’t spit on Kang Moo Hyuk’s plan. It was a surprising idea to others, but she thought it was normal.

In order to win with a disadvantaged power, she had to devise the best strategy even if it meant taking losses. The method she hated the most was to put the hunter’s life on the line to save a few pennies.

In that respect, Kang Moo-hyuk and Joo Se-ah could be said to be very compatible business partners.

“So what are we going to do? Did Chief Kang give instructions on what to do?”

“Yes. He told me to hand over the hunting to another guild and prevent the boss from escaping. He said that if we let the Orc Chieftain go, the Orc Rebellion that happened in China could happen again.”

“Ah, that’s what you were planning? I thought you told me to stay here and go out and attack the boss myself. But it would be impossible to block the orc army and attack the gate at the same time, right? I just figured you were up to something when I saw the other guilds flying in.”

Joo Se Ah understood what Kang Moo Hyuk said and immediately gave up on the gate. She thought that Kang Moo Hyuk’s judgment was correct. Since she had already called in the horses to catch the boss, there was no need to push herself too hard.

On the other hand, Jinju Lee, who was familiar with Titan’s sales methods, was worried. Guilds are organizations that usually prioritize profits. They are not a tree that gives generously, and they are betting the guild’s fate by handing over large profits to other guilds.

“Are you okay?”

“What?”

“You’re missing the boss. I understand your disposition, but it’s a shame for the guild.”

“I don’t care who catches them, as long as they kill the monsters. Of course, I’m not indifferent to money. If you get greedy for the mine here, you’ll end up with neither food nor shelter.”

Lee Jin-joo nodded with an expression that said, “As expected.” Then she spoke in a quiet voice.

“But just in case, the captain asked me to convey some guidelines. He said they were for the future, but I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“I’m worried about that guy. Anyway, I told you he’s a thorough guy. What did he say?”

“If you’re going to kill a boss mob or attempt a raid, do this… … .”

Jinju Lee looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping and whispered.

After listening to Kang Mu-hyeok’s message for a long time, Joo Se-ah blurted out her thoughts without realizing it.

“Wow, that’s bad.”

“Yeah. It’s really annoying, right? I think so too.”

Joo Se Ah smiled at Lee Jin Joo’s agreement and tried to add a few words, but then stopped. This was because she felt someone approaching them.

Lee Jin-ju also noticed the saboteur half a beat late. After checking the face and knowing who the other person was, she spoke to Joo Se-ah in a subtle way.

“Taegeuk Guild, I’m Jo Ik-jun, the strategy team leader. During Titan, I was often dealt with by Team Leader Kang. He’s someone you don’t want to talk to at length about.”

“If it’s the Taegeuk Guild, it must be A-class. It must be tough to play against the leader.”

Jo Ik-jun walked slowly and spoke to the other person, giving them enough time to identify themselves.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jo Ik-jun from the Taegeuk Guild. I’m in charge of the strategy team.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you. This is Joo Sea.”

Joo Se-ah shook hands with Jo Ik-jun, who smiled kindly and extended his hand. She smiled back, but did not let her guard down.

‘If you’ve faced off against Captain Kang Mu-hyeok, then you know he’s no ordinary rascal.’

Jo Ik-jun looked sideways.

“And this person, we’re old friends. It’s been a while, Lee Jin-joo Hunter.”

“Yes, Team Leader Cho.”

“Why are your expressions so stiff? Is it because of the gate attack? Or are you worried about Bukpocheon?”

“Everyone is busy, so just tell me what’s important.”

When Joo Se-ah cut him off with a sharp blade, Jo Ik-jun hesitated for a moment before getting back to the main point.

“This gate conquest. How about joining hands with our Taegeuk Guild?”

“Well, we have our own plans.”

“Anyway, we already know Iron Will’s situation. Let’s not have a secret meeting. Even if you are the Lord Gilma, wouldn’t it be difficult to attack alone? The only significant force would be the Lord Gilma and Lee Jin-ju Hunter.”

“It’s not about being pushy, it’s about having a choice in who you choose to partner with.”

“Partner? Who? Surely not the Slayer, your arch-rival? When I looked, I saw that the Titans came directly. They probably don’t want to get involved with Gang Mu-hyeok. There are a few other powerful guilds, but do you think they can cooperate on an equal footing with the current Iron Will?”

“Can you accommodate me?”

“Of course, if you compare our power ratio, Iron Will is far behind. But I know who Kang Mu-hyeok is. I also highly regard Lord Gilma’s skills. At least we can come to a reasonable agreement.”

Joo Seah pretended to be lost in thought for a moment, touched her chin, and looked down at the floor.

‘It’s not like we’ve even matched any of the above. It’s just astonishing that everything is going exactly as the captain said.’

She recalled the advice Kang Mu-hyeok had given her from Lee Jin-ju. The advice he had given was not 100% certain, but it was a few possible scenarios.

“If Taegeuk Guild Team Leader Jo Ik-jun contacts you, it’s best not to take his words at face value. He’s not the type of person to share good things with others. If he asks you to cooperate first, you can assume he’s there to sabotage you. There are only one or two cases where he’s sincere, but he’s only trustworthy when he has some good stuff to fall back on, so you can just assume he’s a fraud.”

‘Looking at the current situation… it seems like they’re trying to make sure no one can eat them before joining hands with other guilds.’

Joo Seah noticed her opponent’s numbers. She was a hunter who had been in the Tier Guild for ten years, with only a short career as a Gilma.

However, since I was not in a position to take responsibility, I am just immature in responding to these negotiations.

But he was not someone to be taken lightly, as long as he had the right advice from a mentor.

Hunter rank. Just the charisma that comes from that power alone makes Joo Se Ah shine brighter than anyone else.

Joo Se-ah, who had taken a firm stance, lowered her eyes toward Jo Ik-jun and spoke.

“Slayer and I obviously had quite a few fights. But now we’ve officially signed an MOU and are now in a cooperative relationship. Do you think we can join hands here? In this business, even enemies are worthless if they can’t win over money. If we can take over the mine gate, we can shake off all the old feelings. Likewise, Titan Bugilma is also someone who is thirsty for achievements to become Gilma. It’s a relationship where we can use each other to our advantage.”

“Don’t you know very well that they are not people who can be easily thought of? Team Leader Seongseonje over there, you would know that better than I do, and if you really want to be picky, Mataesu Boogilma is like a lynx. Rather than win-win, it would be fortunate if he doesn’t get bitten… .”

“Team Leader Jo Ik-jun!”

Joo Se Ah raised her voice and interrupted him. Jo Ik Jun kept his mouth shut.

She didn’t just raise her voice. The mana contained in her shout shook Jo Ik-jun for an instant.

What would normally be considered rude behavior was part of a secret battle of wits that was taking place on site.

Jo Ik-jun also couldn’t get angry because he knew this. He had experienced it himself. He even provoked Kang Moo-hyuk in various ways. However, he was embarrassed because he had never been treated like this before.

Jinju Lee, who was watching their conversation from the side, stood there with an anxious heart.

‘Should I stop it if necessary?’

Lee Jin-joo was nervous because this kind of argument escalated into a fistfight.

They were also enemies with the Taegeuk Guild, so it wouldn’t have been strange for them to fight at any time before Kang Mu-hyeok became the strategy team leader.

Breaking the heavy silence for a moment, Joo Se Ah spoke with relief.

“We appreciate your concern for our circumstances, but we would appreciate your refraining from interfering too much.”

Jo Ik-jun, who was discouraged by Joo Se-ah’s power, had no choice but to admit defeat.

That was his theory.

I leave without any regrets on the overturned plate.

When gamblers go broke, they usually don’t realize that the table is turned and keep playing until they lose everything.

If you go that far, you have to laugh cowardly even if your head breaks. That way, you can at least get a rebuke. In this world, it is common to get a rebuke when you come out in good health, so you have to live within the appropriate limits.

‘After all, stabbing Joo Se Ah was like gambling. I won’t get a good result by trying to build up my pride here.’

Jo Ik-jun decided to hide his displeasure and step down.

“It’s a shame. We could have been better partners.”

“Because the opportunity isn’t just for today.”

Joo Se Ah deliberately left a lingering impression. It would be difficult to be hostile just because the negotiations broke down. It is the law of the world that today’s enemies become tomorrow’s allies.

After Jo Ik-jun left, Joo Se-ah let out the breath she had been holding.

“Whoa~ How does Captain Kang always do things like this? It’d be easier to just catch the boss.”

“I also consider the captain as my role model. But I just can’t get used to this kind of situation. If the opponent is someone like Jo Ik-jun, I’ll probably get beat up.”

The moment Lee Jin-ju identified Jo Ik-jun, Seong Seon-je flashed through Joo Se-ah’s mind. To her, Seong Seon-je was that kind of person. A monster who would eat you if you let your guard down. He was a person who was annoying and unpleasant beyond his rank.

There was such a saint here.

Joo Se Ah realized the danger once again. This was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange no matter what happened.

‘I have to be very alert if I don’t want to get eaten by this.’

* * *

The sight of hundreds of monsters marching was a rare sight even for hunters.

But it was far from the grandeur of the movies. The orcs had a ferocious appearance and their large size was intimidating.

The clanging of the rough iron armor and the dull, resonating sound of the axe gave the listener a sense of oppression that squeezed their hearts.

Some orcs tore off the limbs of the deer they had hunted while moving and ate them. The deer, still breathing, shrilled and screamed in all directions. Among the prey caught, there were many monsters, not animals. Those monsters were also food. To the orcs with their big appetites, all living things looked like meat.

It was an advance that was truly beyond the wild, containing a primal fear.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this tingly.’

An Ji-il was filming this scene from a distance.

I was hiding on the way to Sanjeong Lake, wearing the camouflage net and spray that confused the monster’s sense of smell from my exploration kit.

Although he was tasked with relaying the footage he had shot, Kang Moo-hyuk actually did not allow it. It was a very dangerous move.

On the other hand, An Ji-il volunteered because he felt a sense of mission.

Project C, planned and realized by Kang Mu-hyeok himself.

Titan’s shareholders considered the ‘C-Ball’ warehouse a money-eating nemesis, but he, who started this project, believed that the items in the warehouse would one day become the vanguard of monster extermination.

In order to bring this forward, he was testing the performance of the improved device and relaying information about the Orc army to Kang Mu-hyeok.

“Chief Kang, are you watching the video?”

-Yes. Is it magnifiable?

“They said they were going to improve it, but I don’t know how good the resolution will be. Usually, I can’t even test it because the mana stones are expensive.”

-This time, you can pull it with the intermediate mana stone pool. You will be satisfied even if you can roughly distinguish the outfits.

“Then, without further ado.”

Anjiil turned the button to zoom in on the orc army.

Since there was no place to process the corneas of a specific monster, the lenses that were made by hand shone. They showed a higher resolution than expected and conveyed the faces of the orcs to Kang Mu-hyeok.

An Ji-il slowly moved the camera so that Kang Mu-hyeok could check the situation of the orcs.

– Wait. To the left there. Yes. To the front. Stop. To the right again. Just a little more.

The camera, which was moving according to Kang Mu-hyeok’s instructions, soon captured an orc that was different from the other orcs.

It was as big as an ogre, and it didn’t wear any armor. Instead, it had red tattoos all over its body, and the patterns resembled totems with magical meaning.

-I found it. … … It’s a general-level thing. As expected, it was there.

“They look so scary. Are those their heads?”

– This guy doesn’t seem to be an ordinary guy. This Orc tribe seems to have evolved considerably. The Orc chieftain is probably a Lord. The gate area won’t be easy either.

“Monsters aren’t my specialty, so I’m not particularly impressed. But if I can see its face with a telephoto lens from this distance, then this modification is a great success.”

Beep.

“Ugh! Of course, it consumes more mana stones. Damn, I don’t know what to do with this inefficiency. One mid-level mana stone for 5 minutes. I’m about to fall over, clutching the back of my neck.”

-Don’t be disappointed. But aren’t you using short-range communication equipment well? They will be mass-produced soon. When they become widespread, the change that the team leader and I have been hoping for will begin.

“Don’t get excited. You have to open the lid to find out. You could die like you did on Titan.”

-It’s my job to not let that happen.

Kang Moo-hyuk reaffirmed his resolve and encouraged himself.

-No matter what happens, I will change everything.

* * *

The change that Kang Mu-hyeok spoke of had already begun within the guild.

“You’re finally here.”

Jang Deuk-gu, who confirmed the lead of the orc unit, began the operation.

We waited for the orcs to pass along the road and dug in on the left flank.

The orcs were initially taken aback by the surprise attack at an unexpected location. However, Ironwill’s inexperienced hunters were equally flustered.

– Dealer, you bastards! You’ve gone too far! I told you to drag them in, not drag them out?! Do you want to get inside an orc’s stomach? Let me put you in it myself?!

-Sorry, sorry!

-Close up. Move while revealing the minefields. That way, the orc cubs won’t flinch.

Jang Deuk-gu was experiencing the innovation that would occur due to Warehouse C that Kang Mu-hyeok had mentioned while attacking a part of the Orc unit.

‘It’s a miracle that there’s no damage even though it’s such a mess. No, is it because of this equipment?’

When I was attacking goblins, I thought it was just something that made it easier to scout… But when I actually gave orders to the party, I thought I realized what the true power of this item was.

Hunting where all party members are connected.

It was a device that could issue detailed and immediate orders to each hunter in real time wirelessly, thus reducing mistakes and maximizing efficiency.

‘Convenience is a skill that has an advantage in messaging, but it is not a skill that everyone can have. The quantity is limited and the cost of preparation is not small.’

In contrast, any hunter could have close-range communication equipment.

One of the biggest reasons why low-ranked hunters fail to link up is because they cannot convey their status during battle and cannot check the party’s movements.

If this part could be filled with short-range communication equipment, the number of low-ranked hunters dying ridiculously due to misunderstanding orders would be significantly reduced.

“Warehouse C… This is definitely an item.”

Jang Deuk-gu commanded the battle while reaffirming Kang Mu-hyeok’s growing presence.