Episode 28
The President unfolded the report.
“Bwahaha, so we’ve completely exterminated those Free People bastards.”
He gave a firm thumbs-up to the Minister of National Defense who had come to deliver the report. It was a habit of the President that only surfaced when he was in a good mood.
The Minister of National Defense offered empty flattery.
“This should boost your approval ratings as well. Congratulations, Mr. President.”
“You’ve worked hard too, Minister.”
“Thank you. Knowing that you recognize our efforts makes it worthwhile to work.”
“By the way, who is the highest contributor to this incident?”
“It’s written in the report as well, but it’s a National Hunter named Nam Gyu-il.”
“Is that so? That’s quite a unique name.”
The President set the report down on the desk.
He rose from his office chair and headed toward the window.
Bright sunlight struck his pupils.
And the noisy clamor of Yongsan assailed his ears.
- President, awaken!!
- Listen to the voice of the people.
- Replace the recognized service hours of Awakened with guild activity hours!
The voices of the protesters outside the window were grating.
“Tsk, those insufferable bastards.”
The President said so and drew the blinds.
He blocked the unsightly protesters from view, but their voices pierced through the window.
“Those opposition bastards are really causing a fuss. A real mess.”
The political scene was abuzz with talk over whether to replace Hunter Bureau service periods with guild activity hours.
The opposition party wanted that.
As a result, the ruling party naturally fell into an opposing position.
With the general election not far away, it was because they couldn’t afford to look like they were being dragged along by whatever the opposition proposed.
They had to fight, if only to rally their own supporters.
Of course, that was what they said internally.
Formally, they opposed it under the pretext that it would be difficult to respond to national crisis situations.
The President let out a long breath.
To recover his approval ratings, he needed a good image somehow.
‘Isn’t there some way?’
Thinking so, he sat back down and browsed internet articles on his computer.
There, he found a very interesting article.
[Top Contributor in Capture of Free People Revealed to be Sergeant N Serving in Hunter Bureau]
The President checked the comments as well.
[Comments]
-Brain-Drinking Bird: Life’s tough because of monsters, so this article is truly comforting. I was already feeling troubled by the news that Gate occurrence rates have increased.
-Patrasche of Betrayal: I wish there were more National Hunters like this. The country would stabilize.
The vast majority of reactions were positive.
When life is exhausting and difficult, people want comfort from someone.
Just like the baseball player and female golfer who had comforted the people during the IMF crisis. People hold onto hope when they see them.
Currently, the people were steeped in fatigue.
[Appearance of Powerful New Monsters]
[Crimes Surging as Livelihoods Become Difficult]
[Murderous Rise in Utility Bills]
[Rising Fatality Rate in the Hunter Bureau]
[Frightening Price Increases]
[Harshly Low Wages]
The articles decorating the news were endlessly bleak.
The frequency of Gate appearances was on the rise, and even powerful new monsters were appearing.
How long could humanity truly endure against the monster onslaught?
The people harbored such doubts.
Food supply was difficult; they cultivated plants obtained from Gates to eat, and protein intake had become difficult without artificial meat.
Pork belly and beef tartare, which anyone could easily eat before, had become luxury foods.
Each time, humanity was being pushed a little closer to the cliff’s edge.
In such a situation, good news had come out for the first time in a long while, so they couldn’t help but be enthusiastic.
A strange smile bloomed on the lips of the President as he read the article on the monitor.
‘That’s it, this is it!’
Associating with someone who had a positive image would help improve his image and boost approval ratings.
He immediately called for the Minister of National Defense.
“You there, Minister of National Defense.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Didn’t I say I would give the highest contributor anything he desires?”
“That is correct.”
“Call Nam Gyu-il to Yongsan.”
“To Yongsan, sir?”
“Yes. I shall share a banquet with him at the State Guest House.”
“…I understand what you mean.”
The Minister of National Defense hesitated briefly before bowing his head as if he understood.
***
The next morning.
Nam Gyu-il woke up early and headed to the Hunter Bureau.
After scanning his work QR code and entering the office, he witnessed a bewildering sight.
“*Nom, nom, nom.*”
Lee Chan-u was ripping open three bags of snacks and tasting them.
In the corner of the office, boxes of snacks were piled like a mountain, wobbling as if they might collapse.
“What are all those snack boxes? Lee Chan-u, did you order them?”
“Ahwooee.”
With his cheeks puffed out full of snacks, Lee Chan-u answered something.
Nam Gyu-il blinked.
The pronunciation was so unclear he couldn’t understand a word.
Hwang Il-su explained step by step on Lee Chan-u’s behalf.
“The people sent them.”
“The people?”
“They sent a ton of snacks saying you worked hard capturing the Free People.”
Nam Gyu-il smirked.
He hadn’t realized this incident was such a comfort to the people.
Somehow, he felt proud.
Nam Gyu-il tore open a bag of snacks and took a bite.
A salty taste lingered.
It was then.
Park Hui-ryeong came running frantically and opened the door roughly.
“Salute. Good morning.”
Nam Gyu-il saluted, but Park Hui-ryeong didn’t even acknowledge the greeting. He looked incredibly flustered.
“Hey, hey, Nam Gyu-il.”
“What is it?”
“The President says he wants to have a morning banquet with you.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The President is calling for you! I took care of all your leave passes. A car to Yongsan is waiting outside, so hurry up and go. Hurry!!”
“Understood.”
Nam Gyu-il climbed into the sedan to Yongsan as if being chased.
*Vroom.*
The heavy black sedan drove down the road.
He could see Park Hui-ryeung outside the Hunter Bureau waving his hand.
He faintly heard his voice asking him to put in a good word with the President, but Nam Gyu-il thought he was hearing things.
The road to the President’s Yongsan office was congested.
It was because of the protesters.
- Replace the recognized service hours of Awakened with guild activity hours!
The shouts of the protesters reached inside the car window.
Nam Gyu-il gazed at the scene and fell into thought for a moment.
‘It would be nice if recognized Awakened service hours could be replaced with guild activity. And soon, at that.’
Then one problem would be solved.
Guild creation, to be exact.
If that passed, he wouldn’t have to wait until discharge.
Creating a guild meant building his own force, so he could respond even when danger struck later.
Moreover, he would be able to act proactively.
‘Right now, I’m affiliated with the Hunter Bureau, so I’m in a position where I have to follow orders.’
There were many restrictions on his activities in various ways.
‘Well, I’ll think about that gradually later. Right now, there’s a reward I need to receive, isn’t there?’
What Nam Gyu-il wanted was a certain plant.
Golden Leaf.
It was one of the ingredients for high-grade elixirs.
A plant discovered in a Gate, possessed by the government of the Republic of Korea.
The government periodically purchased and stored items discovered in Gates.
Golden Leaf was one such item.
Moreover, the President had promoted it heavily, saying they had protected it from being smuggled abroad.
Nam Gyu-il took out his smartphone and searched for news from a few weeks ago.
[President Personally Acquires Plant Nearly Smuggled Abroad!]
[Golden-Glowing Leaf. Korea Protected It]
As the general election drew near, the President was desperate for approval ratings and put out such articles to show his achievements.
The comments were a mix of mockery and praise.
[Comments]
-Axe-Wielding Princess: Is it okay to go around talking about that? Isn’t it confidential? Is he doing this because of the general election?
-o((>ω< ))o: The President is working hard! Let’s definitely win this general election!
-Company Cafeteria: Is it because his approval rating is 20%? It’s pathetic to put out articles like that. Must be for the general election.
-Seafood Bibim Sauce: This is what we wanted to see! Let’s recover the approval rating and win the general election!
Nam Gyu-il turned off his smartphone and put it back in his pocket.
The phrase “general election” appeared in every comment.
‘I more or less understand the President is pushing hard for the general election, but…’
Then why, of all times, did he want to have a banquet with him at this crucial time?
And in such a hurry, at that.
Lost in thought for a moment, a certain idea flashed through Nam Gyu-il’s mind.
‘Don’t tell me. Is he planning to use me to boost his approval ratings?’
It wasn’t impossible.
Interest in the Hunter Bureau was higher than ever due to the suppression of the Free People.
As for Nam Gyu-il, he didn’t care who won the general election.
Anyway, as time passed, powerful monsters would pop out, and no matter who became President, the military alone couldn’t handle them.
What mattered was his own powerful force.
To that end, he had to establish a guild as quickly as possible.
‘Wait. Could this be an opportunity?’
The President opposed replacing Awakened service hours with guild activity hours.
And he was having a banquet with him.
‘The President wants to use me to raise his approval ratings, so if I play this well, couldn’t I make him replace Awakened service hours with guild activity hours?’
A smile formed on Nam Gyu-il’s lips.
Another benefit might fall into his hands besides the Golden Leaf he had originally intended to receive.
No, he would obtain it.
‘From the beginning, with this kind of setup, I can lead the game.’
Unexpected fortune had arisen.
Having arrived at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Nam Gyu-il stepped out of the car with dignity.
***
Nam Gyu-il arrived at the banquet venue.
The President wasn’t there yet, and reporters were checking their cameras and equipment.
‘So it’s not just a banquet, but a broadcast too.’
Nam Gyu-il sat in his chair and read through the script given by the Chief of Staff.
[VIP Morning Banquet Live Broadcast Q&A.]
VIP means the President.
To think they gave him a script for a morning banquet Q&A.
It was a bit shocking.
‘So he’ll control even my questions and answers for the sake of his approval ratings.’
What a truly outstanding gentleman.
Looking at it this way, he realized anew that the Republic of Korea was a mess.
The nation was going to ruin because of monsters, yet these so-called politicians were too busy falling over themselves to fight over their own rice bowls.
Without doing a single proper thing.
‘Is this why no one discovered that major guild bastards were hiding proper training methods?’
Pathetic.
To think these bastards were the rulers of the Republic of Korea. What a joke.
Nam Gyu-il’s expression hardened.
Soon, the President, smartly dressed, appeared at the banquet table.
“The VIP is entering.”
Nam Gyu-il rose from his seat and greeted the President.
The camera captured his every move, broadcasting everything live to the people.
The President sat down.
Only then could Nam Gyu-il sit back down.
“Hahaha, are you the National Hunter who rendered distinguished service in suppressing the Free People?”
“Salute. Team Leader of Team 01, Seoul Hunter Bureau, Nam Gyu-il. Yes, that is correct.”
“You have worked very hard.”
The President gave a nod to the Chief of Staff.
Then he brought a box and placed it in front of Nam Gyu-il.
“It is a leaf that glows golden.”
The Chief of Staff said so.
Before the banquet began, the Chief of Staff had asked what he wanted, and he answered Golden Leaf.
They must have brought this in that short span of time.
The President laughed heartily and added a word.
“The item the Free People had shall be yours as well. I shall permit it specially.”
Nam Gyu-il was dumbfounded.
The item the Free People had was the Space Diamond.
He had gone as support for HA, so the Space Diamond was Nam Gyu-il’s rightful share.
Yet he was pretending to give it as if bestowing a favor.
‘He must be really serious about raising his approval ratings. It’s enough to make me blush with secondhand embarrassment.’
After that, he exchanged various words with the President.
Well, it was called a conversation, but it ultimately flowed according to the scripted lines.
Then finally, that topic surfaced.
“There is a claim to replace the recognized service hours of Awakened with guild activity hours; what do you think?”
The President’s question.
To this question, he had to answer “It’s wrong.” That was what was written in the script.
But Nam Gyu-il smiled faintly and voiced his conviction.
“I believe it is reasonable.”
In that instant, the President’s face stiffened and the Chief of Staff’s expression grew stern.
Even the people filming with cameras widened their eyes.
Until now, the conversation had proceeded entirely to match the President, but from now on, it wouldn’t.
From this moment on, it was Nam Gyu-il’s turn to lead the game.