Episode 21
Major Park Hui-ryeong stood on the podium.
"Citation is hereby awarded to Team Leader Nam Gyu-il of Seoul Hunter Bureau Team 01. The above person has contributed to national security and is hereby cited for greatly elevating the prestige of the national hunters through flawless mission performance."
"Thank you."
Nam Gyu-il, standing opposite Park Hui-ryeong, saluted.
Each regional Hunter Bureau presented citations and awards to teams with outstanding achievements.
Naturally, Seoul Hunter Bureau's Team 01 was selected.
They had continuously broken records for accident-free days, and they had slain the most monsters.
On top of that, they had been dispatched to support the Chungcheong Hunter Bureau and contributed to capturing the werebeast.
Had it not been for him, the damage caused by the werebeast would have been catastrophic.
Thanks to that, Team 01's stock had risen.
Everyone received an envelope containing the citation and award.
With Park Hui-ryeong's closing remarks thanking them for their hard work, Team 01 left the podium and headed back to the office.
Lee Chan-u grinned.
"Hehehe, I wonder what the award is? I hope it's money."
"Is it that good?"
Hwang Il-su smirked.
Lee Chan-u grinned and nodded vigorously.
"Of course!! What could be better in this world than getting a reward? Isn't that right?"
"I just can't with this guy……"
Hwang Il-su shrugged with a look that said he couldn't stop him.
Hong Sin-u looked at Nam Gyu-il.
"The fact that we're receiving this reward is all thanks to Staff Sergeant Nam Gyu-il. Staff Sergeant Nam is the number one contributor!"
Then Han Gang-su chimed in as well.
"Staff Sergeant Nam's accomplishments are remarkable. Not only does he fight well, but he is also incredibly erudite. In particular, I've never seen anyone with such extensive knowledge of monsters, even in guilds."
Voices praising Nam Gyu-il came from all around.
"Hey, hey, that's enough. Flattery won't get you anywhere. You're giving me goosebumps all of a sudden."
Nam Gyu-il waved his hands dismissively.
Lee Chan-u stuck his thumb up and shook the envelope containing his award.
"The one who contributed the most should open his envelope first. That way us underlings can check ours too, right?"
His tone was full of mischief.
Nam Gyu-il opened the envelope and checked its contents.
"!!"
Nam Gyu-il was speechless.
He pulled a check from the envelope.
It was for one hundred million won.
It was close to the annual salary of a national hunter.
Lee Chan-u's jaw dropped. The hundred-million-won check looked like shining gold.
He hurriedly tore open his own envelope.
Inside his envelope was also a check for one hundred million won.
"I'm rich!!"
Lee Chan-u suddenly shouted and bounced around, soon lost in his imagination.
What should he do with it?
Drink expensive wine at a luxury hotel?
Just as the corners of his mouth stretched up so high they nearly touched his ears, Han Gang-su rained on his parade.
"What, only a hundred million?"
Han Gang-su fluttered the check and muttered as if it was nothing.
No, his reaction was one of disdain.
And the words he added shattered Lee Chan-u's imagination.
"A hundred million won't even buy you a Gangnam apartment. And they call this pocket change a reward."
Han Gang-su's family had amassed enormous wealth.
The Gangnam apartments his family owned had long since surpassed 3.5 billion won.
Not only that, but they typically spent 300,000 won per meal.
To him, a hundred million was mere pocket change.
Lee Chan-u glanced sideways at Han Gang-su and grumbled.
"Showing off just because you have money."
Lee Chan-u looked at the hundred-million-won check again.
It was an amount that ordinary people without money would find incredibly difficult to earn.
That was true, but after hearing Han Gang-su's words…….
'It doesn't look like that much money anymore.'
It was a sum that was damned hard to save up, yet impossible to buy a house with.
Lee Chan-u sighed for no reason and put the check in his wallet.
Just then, Nam Gyu-il discovered something else in the envelope.
"What else is in there?"
He pulled out a black slip of paper from the envelope.
This time, it wasn't money.
[SB Admission Ticket]
Nam Gyu-il stared intently at the SB admission ticket.
SB was an auction house that sold items obtained from Gates.
Various items, or plants procured from Gates, appeared as auction lots.
Naturally, the people who came here were all wealthy and well-connected to the political sphere.
Those who consigned items to the auction were mostly chairmen of large guilds.
Therefore, SB was a gathering place for the upper class.
Even unremarkable items were sold for at least a hundred million won.
Moreover, the owner of SB had declared a motto of catering only to the upper class and sold admission tickets for ten million won each.
It meant that those without money shouldn't even think of entering.
Furthermore, the fact that the minimum bid was one hundred million won meant that, on average, far more was spent.
Ordinary folk couldn't win any items even if they went to the auction house.
Even so, gaining entry to SB was a massive opportunity that could change one's life.
There was one reason.
'Because it is the only place where commoners can interact with the upper class.'
If one eavesdropped carefully on the conversations of the upper class and acquired information, they could make a fortune.
Well, if one didn't like that, they could at least sample the food served at the auction house.
They could enjoy a banquet prepared by Michelin 5-star chefs for free.
Nam Gyu-il liked the SB admission ticket.
'This is far better than a hundred-million-won check.'
Meeting the upper class and obtaining information was an incredible opportunity.
If utilized well, one could obtain information beyond price.
'This will come in handy later.'
Nam Gyu-il pocketed the SB admission ticket.
At the same time, he realized the Hunter Bureau's true intention.
'They gave us a hundred million and an SB ticket, meaning they want us to purchase the necessary equipment for monster subjugation on our own.'
Lee Chan-u discovered the SB admission ticket in his envelope and shouted excitedly.
"An SB admission ticket?! Is this a chance to eat food prepared by 5-star hotel chefs?! Man, I'm gonna feast for once."
The gluttonous Lee Chan-u was excited at the chance to eat expensive food.
"The food there is really delicious."
This time, even Han Gang-su agreed.
He had gone once with his father, and the rib steak had been amazing.
"Wow, I'd really love to try it once."
Hong Sin-u was also filled with anticipation.
No one seemed interested in mingling with the upper class to obtain information.
Nam Gyu-il let out a brief chuckle.
'Are they still young and naive? Or are they just crazy about food?'
Well, it wasn't a bad sight.
It was then.
Ring, ring.
The internal line phone on the desk rang loudly.
Nam Gyu-il brought his index finger to his lips and silenced his team members.
At that, everyone clamped their mouths shut.
Nam Gyu-il answered the phone.
"Communications security, Seoul Hunter Bureau Team 01 Leader Nam Gyu-il speaking."
"Comm secure, it's me, Park Hui-ryeong."
"Loyalty!!"
Nam Gyu-il shouted at the top of his lungs.
Park Hui-ryeong chuckled heartily.
"Ah, nothing serious, I just contacted you so we could talk for a moment."
"Yes, sir. I'll head there right away."
"Yes. Yes. But you know."
"Yes, sir!!"
"Our Gyu-il, do you happen to like chicken? I also ordered pizza."
Nam Gyu-il tilted his head.
Why was she suddenly asking about his favorite food?
"I like both chicken and pizza."
"Really? Well, if there's anything else you want to eat, just say so. Price is no object."
"No, nothing else."
"Then come to my office right away."
"Understood."
Nam Gyu-il replied and ended the call.
What could it be?
Why was Park Hui-ryeong calling him?
They had already received citations and awards, so there shouldn't be any further rewards.
'To ask about the reason for our accident-free record?'
No.
He had already glossed it over with a plausible excuse.
She wouldn't be curious about that anymore.
Something felt odd.
He had a feeling he was about to hear something he wouldn't like.
Nam Gyu-il let out a long breath. He scratched the back of his head and opened the office door, stepping out into the hallway.
'Surely nothing's wrong, right?'
Nam Gyu-il stood in front of Park Hui-ryeong's office. A savory smell wafted through the crack in the door.
It was the smell of chicken.
Knock, knock, knock.
Nam Gyu-il knocked.
Park Hui-ryeong's voice came through.
"Come in."
"Staff Sergeant Nam Gyu-il, reporting as ordered by the Major."
"Oh, yes. Gyu-il."
When he opened the door and entered, Park Hui-ryeong greeted him with a warm tone.
Nam Gyu-il hid his inner thoughts: 'Yeesh, this feels way too ominous.'
Park Hui-ryeong gestured for him to sit on the sofa.
"Our Gyu-il, come sit down."
"……"
"The chicken will get cold at this rate."
Nam Gyu-il had no choice but to sit on the sofa.
Why was that?
It felt like sitting on a bed of thorns.
Moreover, he had no idea why she was acting so familiar, calling him "our Gyu-il."
Nam Gyu-il squirmed uncomfortably.
Park Hui-ryeong pointed at the chicken.
"Come on, eat up. You should have a drumstick."
"Thank you for the meal."
Nam Gyu-il replied and ate a chicken drumstick.
But his stomach felt heavy.
'Why? Why did she suddenly call me here to feed me chicken? Why is she being so kind?'
There was no such thing as kindness without reason.
She was definitely feeding him chicken first to butter him up before bringing up an uncomfortable topic.
'What is she going to spring on me?!'
By now, he couldn't tell if the chicken was going down his throat or up his nose.
He hated Park Hui-ryeong's forced smile.
He felt a sense of aversion.
As he chomped down on the drumstick, the chicken that should have been delicious felt like he was chewing on a lump of rock.
Park Hui-ryeong suddenly threw out a question.
"So, Gyu-il. What are you going to do after you're discharged? Have you decided on your future path?"
Nam Gyu-il was suspicious of her motives for asking that.
He opened his mouth as carefully as possible, wary like a hedgehog with its spines raised.
"I'm planning on founding a guild."
"Oh, I see. That's good."
Park Hui-ryeong put on a pleased expression, her face saying it was a good thing.
She patted Nam Gyu-il's shoulder.
"Yes, our Gyu-il has just a little over three months left until discharge, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. I'll be discharged soon."
"Your determination to found a guild and close Gates is truly admirable."
"Thank you."
"However, founding a guild is essentially starting a business, isn't it?"
Park Hui-ryeong's tone became much kinder.
Sensing some ulterior motive in her demeanor, Nam Gyu-il stammered.
"Th... that's right."
"It will be very difficult. And you'll have to compete with large guilds as well."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Wouldn't stable pay and a pension, employment without fear of being fired, be better than that?"
"?!"
Nam Gyu-il's eyes went wide.
Too shocked to even speak, he remained silent....
Park Hui-ryeong finally said it.
"Since you'll be going into Gates anyway, why don't you apply for extended active duty at the Hunter Bureau?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm telling you to serve long-term at the Hunter Bureau."
Only then did Nam Gyu-il realize why Park Hui-ryeong had called him.
No wonder things had felt strange ever since she offered him the drumstick!!
'So she called me here to make me re-enlist.'
Even though he was clearly eating chicken, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth as if he had bitten into mugwort.
Extended active duty was out of the question.
He had so many things to do after discharge; he couldn't remain tied to the Hunter Bureau.
Furthermore, if he re-enlisted, he would have to keep following orders, making it difficult to move independently.
Park Hui-ryeong put on a benevolent smile.
"Gyu-il, where else would we find a smart kid like you? Don't we need someone like you to keep the Hunter Bureau running smoothly?"
Park Hui-ryeong tried to persuade him.
She didn't want Nam Gyu-il to be discharged.
Because she believed Team 01's accident-free record was thanks to Nam Gyu-il and Han Gang-su.
She regarded Nam Gyu-il as the brains of the operation.
Han Gang-su still had a long way to go before discharge, but Nam Gyu-il was right around the corner.
So she had to hold onto him somehow.
Nam Gyu-il placed the chicken drumstick down on its wrapper as if setting down a poisoned chalice.
"Major Park Hui-ryeong."
"Yes?"
"I have too many things to do after my discharge. Extended active duty is impossible."
Park Hui-ryeong said nothing more.
Instead, she slipped an application form into Nam Gyu-il's pocket and patted his back as if to say she believed in him.
But Nam Gyu-il's resolve was firm.
"I will not do extended active duty."