Chapter 51 …
Déjà vu (4)
“We, who operate in Yuseong District, coming all the way to Jung District shows how serious we are about this scout. First time?”
Lee Kwang-moo said with a teasing tone.
At first glance, it seemed like he was praising Lee Sung-jun, but the sharp point of his finger directed at Sung-jun felt more like pressure than flattery.
It was as if he were warning, “We came all this way, so if the results aren’t good, it won’t be fun.”
Choi Yeon smirked inwardly. It was laughable how seriously he acted, as if crossing into another district was some monumental achievement.
Someone listening might think he crossed provinces or something.
“Senpai, I don’t know if you realize this, but Sung-jun is just an ordinary college student.”
“Huh?”
“Even if he signs a contract, he doesn’t have the skill to run dungeons right away.”
“Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine. That kind of thing? If he runs a few F-rank dungeons, he’ll handle it all on his own.”
Handle it all on his own?
Choi Yeon was incredulous. Even if he came just to spout nonsense, couldn’t he at least pretend to care?
Why even have the hunter certification test, or the trainee program run by the district office, if that’s all it took?
Most likely, he’d make Sung-jun grind through dungeons under the guise of “growth,” pocket some bribes while demoralizing him, and if an accident happened?
Who cares? He’d just find a new recruit, swapping them out like a replacement part.
“Isn’t that talent?”
Saying this, Lee Kwang-moo winked. Despite the empty nonsense, Choi Yeon couldn’t help but smile.
“…Huh?”
Seeing Choi Yeon’s smile, Lee Kwang-moo tilted his head. It was the face of someone lost in memories long buried.
He asked softly, as if testing the waters:
“Won-ho. Have we met before, by any chance?”
“No, this is the first time.”
“Right? But it’s weird—I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere…”
“…?”
Had he lost it?
Choi Yeon muttered to himself after hearing Lee Kwang-moo’s half-rambling words.
Since they operated in different districts, there was no way they had crossed paths. Yet he claimed he had seen Choi Yeon…
Perhaps he caught a glimpse while scouting a hunter to avoid.
Choi Yeon decided to hurry; recalling buried memories was tedious.
“Continuing the topic, Sung-jun plans to finish college first.”
“…Huh? Why keep going then? You’re going to get your license and become a hunter anyway.”
“It’s my parents’ wish.”
“Oh… I see…?”
Lee Kwang-moo frowned.
Though displeased, what could he say against the parents’ will—
“Following your parents too much isn’t necessarily a virtue either.”
…He was ruder than expected.
Well, that explained why he thrived off the hard work of younger hunters.
“It’s Sung-jun’s life. He needs to make decisions and move forward on his own.”
“R-Really?”
“Exactly! If you can’t be independent, your parents will be sad. So here, act like a man—”
“I’ll graduate college first, while also continuing my training.”
“…….”
Lee Kwang-moo glared at Choi Yeon.
First, he was annoyed at the sudden interruption, and now this? To make matters worse, Choi Yeon spoke over him.
“He wants to talk to Sung-jun, but you keep cutting in.”
“Do I?”
“Are you worried Sung-jun might do well?”
“What did you say?”
“That’s right. You’re an E-rank hunter who can’t even join a guild, but Sung-jun got scouted by a D-rank guild… it must sting a bit, huh?”
Lee Kwang-moo shrugged and sneered, triumphant as if he had hit a nerve.
Choi Yeon couldn’t hold back a laugh. In fact, he exaggerated it, making Lee Kwang-moo increasingly annoyed.
“Pfft! I can’t believe I’m hearing this nonsense!”
“What? Did you just call it nonsense?”
“What’s so great about a mere D-rank guild?”
“Mere? ‘Mere’?”
“Am I wrong? Red Pang? Who even knows them outside Yuseong District? I’m hearing about them for the first time.”
“You E-rank brat…”
Lee Kwang-moo clenched his fists, turning red as his knuckles whitened.
Choi Yeon just laughed softly. He was far more irritating than when Lee Kwang-moo had mocked him earlier.
Was he going to punch him in the face?
Lee Sung-jun, watching nervously, held up both hands to stop him.
“Wait, wait! You two are getting too heated. You should calm down a bit…!”
“…Right, Sung-jun is correct.”
Lee Kwang-moo agreed with Sung-jun first, trying to appear mature.
Choi Yeon shrugged, still smirking.
Sung-jun spoke, his voice shaky from nervousness.
“Thank you for your concern, but I want to graduate college first.”
“No. Why, when you could be a hunter now?”
“I feel I’m not ready yet to become a hunter immediately…”
“Ah, frustrating. Frustrating. The path ahead is so bright, why turn back…!”
“…Haha.”
Sung-jun chuckled briefly.
It’s not a bright path—it’s a thorny one, you con artist! he wanted to shout, but held it in.
“…Alright, I get it. Today’s not the day. Let’s talk about this again later.”
“Later?”
“Yes, later. We need to seriously discuss your future, Sung-jun. Right? Huh?”
“….”
Get lost, you con artist! Sung-jun wanted to shout at the audacity of him talking about his future, but fortunately, Lee Kwang-moo stood up first.
“Yes. Read the contract once. Your perspective will change completely.”
“Alright.”
Choi Yeon took the contract from Sung-jun on his behalf.
Lee Kwang-moo shot a glare at him but did nothing more, leaving while maintaining his “mature” act.
Watching him leave, Sung-jun breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hmm, that’s settled for now.”
Choi Yeon’s calm voice drew Sung-jun’s gaze.
Sipping his iced Americano, Choi Yeon appeared utterly composed—no trace of the smirk from earlier.
“…Hunter, was all that an act?”
“Yes.”
“….”
“I told you beforehand. I’d poke Lee Kwang-moo gently.”
“Y-Yes…”
“Did I really seem angry?”
“Yes…”
“Good. If Sung-jun thinks so, then Kwang-moo must have been completely fooled.”
As Choi Yeon said, it was true.
Lee Kwang-moo, fully deceived, grumbled as he headed to the alley behind the café.
Guild members waited between the café and the public parking lot.
A middle-aged woman wearing black sunglasses asked immediately:
“What happened?”
“It didn’t work!”
“Excuse me? That bumbling guy rejected them?”
“Not Sung-jun. That brat Kim Ho-won came too, and that E-rank brat kept interfering in everything.”
“E-rank brat…?”
“Yes. Insignificant E-rank hunter.”
“Then why not just remove him?”
“That was the plan anyway.”
“Did you hear that, everyone?”
The woman turned her head sharply.
The young hunters flinched at the reflection in her dark lenses. Her unblinking eyes felt like daggers.
“Why aren’t you answering, hmm?”
“…We’ll leave now.”
“Yes, that’s how you answer.”
“….”
Two young hunters left the alley weakly. Three middle-aged adults watched, shaking their heads.
“Why do they have no guts at such a young age?”
“Right? When we were their age, we could chew stones.”
“Not just stones—we chewed metal too.”
“True!”
Their laughter remained contained within the alley like pooled water, leaving the young hunters to leave with the sound of mockery behind them.
＊＊＊
“How can people be so predictable…”
Choi Yeon muttered after leaving the café.
Across the street, a young man and woman approached.
Even in their drooping eyes, one person’s gaze was fixed: Lee Sung-jun. It was as if saying, We’re coming for you.
The pair stopped in front of them.
“…Run away.”
“Hit them once each.”
They said it without enthusiasm.
Choi Yeon, amused at Sung-jun’s surprise, snickered.
Getting close doesn’t automatically make someone dark.
“Did you just say… run away?”
“Yes. Red Pang isn’t a family-like guild, unlike what you saw on social media.”
“Only the executives act like family.”
“Lee Kwang-moo was kind during recruitment, right?”
“Don’t be fooled. Once you join, none of that matters.”
“Did they give you a contract? Then read it carefully.”
“There may have been ambiguously worded clauses.”
“Oh.”
Choi Yeon and Sung-jun nodded.
They had already noticed the tricky clauses in the contract, roughly 500 characters spread across Articles 5, 8, and 11:
Hunters must follow guild rules, not disrupt internal order, share accomplishments with the guild, and uphold the guild’s honor for a set period.
“…So you noticed.”
“Good. Now you get the gist of the situation.”
“Exactly. Now run away. We’ll hit hard.”
“Then we can say we missed our chance…”
“…But won’t something bad happen to you?”
Choi Yeon asked casually, though they meant no harm.
The pair chuckled.
“Don’t worry. A few hits and it’s over.”
“Better than dragging someone else into hell…”
“….”
Their slouched shoulders weren’t due to weakness, but from suppressing worn-out, greedy desires they didn’t need to bear.
Even so, they tried to save someone from hell, stubbornly.
“…What are your names?”
“Huh? Why ask our names suddenly?”
“To know… well, not that it matters now—”
“I’m Choi Yeon.”
“…Not Kim Ho-won?”
“No. Choi Yeon.”
“…?”
The pair exchanged glances. Lee Kwang-moo said he was Kim Ho-won—why introduce himself as Choi Yeon?
The man added:
“Hunter from Sunhwa University.”
“Sunhwa University hunter…?”
“Yes.”
Caution flared in the pair’s eyes.
Even Sunhwa University hunters are on our side! Nothing you do matters!
—A mantra Red Pang executives repeated daily.
“Even so, this is Jung District.”
Choi Yeon read their thoughts and spoke softly.
If they thought carefully, they would realize their argument was nonsense. But stress clouded their judgment. Choi Yeon didn’t bother correcting them—what would it achieve?
“I’ll help you.”
Thus, Choi Yeon said what the two most wanted to hear.
