Episode 16
Team 01 exited the Gate.
Having safely defeated the zombies, they gasped for breath and looked at one another.
"We got out safely again-!!"
I Chan-u boomed, taking off his helmet.
Hong Sin-u counted the accident-free streak on their fingers, then shouted at everyone with sparkling eyes.
"It's our ninth consecutive day accident-free!!"
At that, Hwang Il-su cackled.
"Hahaha, at this rate, I wonder if we'll all be discharged in one piece."
Team 01 was all excited.
Closing Gates accident-free, time after time, had given them confidence.
Everyone looked at Nam Gyu-il.
Once again, thanks to his performance, they had closed the Gate.
Nam Gyu-il smirked as admiring gazes poured over him.
"Now, now, good work today. As promised, I'll buy you all a meal, so look forward to it."
"Yahoo!"
"We'll eat well."
Just as they were heading to a restaurant, someone suddenly called out to Nam Gyu-il.
"Mr. Nam Gyu-il?"
He turned his head in the direction the voice came from.
There was a woman.
Her impressive features were deep black hair reaching her waist and sharp eyes. Her skin was also smooth and flawless.
Nam Gyu-il stared intently at the woman's face.
It was a face he was seeing for the first time.
Moreover, this was where a Gate had been until just now, so the military and police had the area locked down.
Therefore, someone with an ordinary status couldn't come here.
To get here, one had to possess authority higher than the military and police.
Nam Gyu-il cautiously asked her,
"Who might you be?"
"I'm Han Su-yeong, a scout for the Steel Guild."
"The Steel Guild?!"
Nam Gyu-il blinked.
The Steel Guild was a large guild operated by Han Du-cheol, Han Gang-su's father.
For a scout from there to come find him.
'It's not strange to scout a National Hunter with so little time left until discharge, but......'
He hadn't expected it to be this sudden.
Han Su-yeong, who had revealed herself as a scout, continued the conversation.
"I came to find you because I want to scout you. I've heard many rumors that you're highly competent."
She glanced at Han Gang-su.
This scout offer had been planned ever since Han Gang-su told his father about an outstanding National Hunter.
Since few among those who safely discharged from the Hunter Bureau wanted to join a guild, they would make contact in advance if they judged someone to be talented.
Nam Gyu-il looked at Han Gang-su.
"Why didn't you tell me your guild was coming to scout me?"
"I was going to."
"What?"
"Do you remember when I transferred to Team 01?"
"Yeah. I still remember the report that you transferred after turning Team 05 on its head."
"Do you remember what I was going to say next?"
"Next?"
Nam Gyu-il slowly racked his memory.
He had gotten angry saying he didn't want to hear anymore because he'd come after flipping Team 05 upside down.
'Back then, Han Gang-su had said something about his noona at the end. But what does that have to do with this? It seemed unrelated.'
Han Gang-su brought up what he couldn't say back then.
"I was going to ask if you had any intention of joining the Steel Guild after discharge, since my noona was going to come scout you. But Staff Sergeant Nam Gyu-il suddenly cut the conversation short, so I couldn't say it."
"Noona? The one who came to scout is your noona?"
"Yes."
"You were going to say your noona was coming to scout, but I cut the conversation off so you couldn't?"
"Yes. I was going to bring it up again depending on the situation, but I didn't expect noona to come this early. I thought the official offer would come around tomorrow."
Han Gang-su was just as flustered.
Nam Gyu-il looked at Han Su-yeong and offered an awkward smile.
"You're Han Gang-su's noona?"
"Yes. Our Gang-su is lacking in common sense, so he must be troubling you?"
"No, he'll do well going forward."
Nam Gyu-il couldn't bring himself to say it hadn't been tough.
Han Su-yeong smirked.
"I know very well what kind of guy my younger brother is. Please take care of him going forward."
"Ah, yes."
"Then let's get back to the main point. This seems like it'll be a long conversation anyway, so shall we move somewhere?"
Nam Gyu-il looked back at his team members.
He took out a card from his wallet and handed it to I Chan-u. It wasn't a savings or salary card, but a debit card with a small amount of pocket money.
"Here, use this to eat whatever you want among yourselves."
"Really?!"
"Yeah. But nothing too expensive."
"Don't worry. We're only going to eat Chef Kim Baek's course meal!"
"You little-!!"
Nam Gyu-il gave I Chan-u a knuckle flick on the head and whispered in his ear.
"I'll buy that just for you separately later, so eat something cheap this time. If that many people eat Chef Kim Baek's fine dining, it'll easily cost 4.5 million won. This debit card only has 300,000 won in it to begin with."
"Ugh, hyung-nim! Is money to feed your younger brothers that precious to you!"
"Yeah. It's a waste."
Nam Gyu-il said firmly.
With that, he waved his hand at his team members for the last time and left with Han Su-yeong.
I Chan-u put the card Nam Gyu-il had given him into his pocket.
Since he'd said nothing expensive, he chose a menu everyone would like.
"Guys, let's go eat lab-grown chicken!! Chicken and beer is calling us!"
At that, Hwang Il-su showed a surprised reaction.
"Oh! I thought you'd go eat something expensive since it's not your money, but you're saying we should eat something moderate?"
"Il-su hyung, have you ever been knuckle-flicked by Gyu-il hyung-nim?"
"No."
"That hurts enough to bring tears to your eyes."
I Chan-u led the group toward a chicken restaurant.
While moving, he put his hand on Han Gang-su's shoulder and acted unnecessarily friendly.
"Hey, Gang-su."
"What is it?"
Han Gang-su felt extreme repulsion at the sudden action.
I Chan-u smirked.
"Our Gang-su, you know I care about you a lot, right?"
"No."
Han Gang-su spoke his true feelings.
But I Chan-u, as if he hadn't heard, just kept saying what he wanted.
"Hahaha, do this hyung a favor."
"What is it?"
"Set me up on a blind date with your noona. She's pretty."
"......?!"
Han Gang-su furrowed his brow.
He couldn't understand I Chan-u saying his noona was pretty.
'That walking horse mackerel head is pretty? Is he crazy? Should I tell him it's all because of makeup?'
Han Gang-su fell into deep contemplation.
***
Nam Gyu-il entered a cafe with Han Su-yeong.
It was awkward to talk while wearing armor, so he had changed clothes as well.
They sat in chairs opposite each other.
Nam Gyu-il ordered a sweet vanilla latte, and Han Su-yeong drank an Americano.
Nam Gyu-il initiated the conversation.
"What did Gang-su say about me? What did he tell you?"
"He just said there was someone who seemed talented. He didn't say anything else."
"I see."
Nam Gyu-il let out a sigh of relief internally.
It seemed he hadn't told her about losing in sparring, or about training with the proper training method.
Unexpectedly, Han Gang-su was tight-lipped.
Han Su-yeong smiled and turned the topic to scouting.
"Since you're a person of outstanding talent, we'll give you a special gift if you come to our Steel Guild."
Nam Gyu-il grew curious about what the Steel Guild had prepared.
"What is the gift?"
He asked straightforwardly.
Han Su-yeong leisurely took a sip of coffee and glanced at him.
"We'll give you an item."
"An item?"
"Yes. This."
Han Su-yeong placed a green dagger on the table.
Nam Gyu-il's mouth slightly opened.
His gaze was fixed on the green dagger placed on the table.
'Poison Knife?!'
Nam Gyu-il recognized that item.
He remembered seeing data about it in the Akashic Records.
Han Su-yeong smiled.
"It's one of the items our guild newly obtained from a Gate this time. A very special item that generates poison from the blade itself."
Nam Gyu-il picked up the Poison Knife and examined it.
A lustrous jade-colored blade.
An item where one would be poisoned and collapse with just a single graze.
Honestly, he coveted it.
But Nam Gyu-il couldn't join the Steel Guild.
'Stronger monsters will appear going forward. I have to build my own force to survive. Joining a guild would only be a loss.'
Nam Gyu-il placed the Poison Knife back on the table.
"I'm sorry. No matter what, I can't join the Steel Guild."
"?!"
Han Su-yeong's eyes widened in bewilderment.
Her smile also faded slightly.
Her inner feelings were revealed on her face, but she soon hid her emotions with a smile again.
"You don't like the gift? To this extent, it's an enormous gift we're giving you. Giving an item for scouting is probably a first for our guild."
"No, I like the gift. But I can't join the Steel Guild."
"Could you tell me the reason?"
"Let's just say it's a personal reason."
Saying so, Nam Gyu-il rose from his seat.
At that moment.
Han Su-yeong called out to him.
"Mr. Nam Gyu-il. Opportunities to enter the Steel Guild don't come often."
"Yes. That's right."
"The reason you don't want to join our guild... could it be because you're worried about bad rumors?"
"Excuse me?"
Nam Gyu-il blinked.
To think he wouldn't join the Steel Guild because he was worried about bad rumors?
What kind of story was that?
Han Su-yeong showed leisure, taking a sip of coffee.
"It's natural that you're worried."
"What are you talking about......?"
"You're in the same Hunter Bureau Team 01 as Gang-su."
"Yes, that's right."
"Rumors could spread that you got into the Steel Guild by currying favor with Gang-su. Isn't that what you're worried about?"
Nam Gyu-il, who had no intention of joining from the start, hadn't thought that far.
But thinking about it carefully, such rumors could actually spread if he joined the Steel Guild.
Han Su-yeong stared at Nam Gyu-il.
"You don't need to worry about such baseless rumors. Our Steel Guild only looks at skill."
"I see."
"Then, will you join?"
"No. As I said before, I cannot join the guild."
Nam Gyu-il declined repeatedly.
Han Su-yeong's expression gradually stiffened, and her leisurely smile was wiped from her face.
She wanted to hold onto Nam Gyu-il.
Her family inherently valued ability, so if someone was judged to be talented, they couldn't help but be obsessed.
'If that arrogant younger brother of mine says he's amazing, his skills are certain.'
She couldn't let him go like this.
'If Nam Gyu-il joins another guild, that would be even more of a headache.'
Then they'd just be raising another guild.
Han Su-yeong took a deep breath.
Her brain spun quickly.
'Why won't he join the Steel Guild? What could be the reason? He said he liked the gift.'
In that moment, Han Su-yeong smirked as if she'd realized something.
'Ah! I get it.'
Nam Gyu-il was playing hard to get right now.
'He's deliberately rebuffing to get favorable contract terms.'
Han Su-yeong crossed her arms.
She crossed one leg and made a displeased expression.
'Does he think he's the one in control just because the Steel Guild came to scout him?'
Thinking so, Nam Gyu-il looked insufferable.
But what could she do.
She was the one who had to persuade him.
"Mr. Nam Gyu-il, I'll offer an annual salary of 300 million won."
"Even so, I can't."
Nam Gyu-il headed for the cafe exit.
The more he did so, the more urgent Han Su-yeong became. She spread five fingers.
"500 million won annual salary."
Nam Gyu-il didn't even look back.
Han Su-yeong bit her lower lip softly and furrowed her brow.
500 million won annual salary.
She had called out 2.5 times the average Hunter's annual salary.
'And that's still not enough?'
To call out a higher amount, she had to consult her father.
While she was worrying about what to do.
"Kahaha, interesting!!"
A middle-aged man in the cafe stood up and spoke.
He was wearing a fedora and sunglasses as if to hide his identity.
But his sturdily trained physique was faintly visible beyond his clothes, and his broad shoulder frame caught the eye.
Han Su-yeong, seeing the middle-aged man, opened her eyes wide.
"Dad?!"