Ch. 28 - Chapter 28

“Oh... that’s fascinating.”

After clearing out the boss mob and exiting, the dungeon entrance slowly began to collapse into itself.

It was a sight I hadn’t seen before, since I had only gathered rare herbs in the Poison Dungeons and left.

As I let out an exclamation, Park Hyosang shook his head, saying, ‘Good grief…..’

It seemed absurd to him that after beating the boss mob to a pulp, I was amazed by something like this.

“Well then. Let's begin.”

There was always a phrase that follows after clearing a dungeon.

‘Payment.’

Since we worked as a team, the acquired cores and rare materials we acquired would be divided equally among the members.

“There were 72 small cores, right? I think.”

At my words, Kim Chuho flinched slightly.

He probably didn’t expect me to remember something like that.

To be honest, it’s not like I actually remembered it.

I just read the data V1 sent me.

When I made the first move, they nodded reluctantly, looking a bit sour.

“If we divide them by five, there’ll be two left, so each Knight should take one. The two Espers. You're okay with that, right?”

"Yes. We've barely done anything….."

"Oh….. Thank you."

A flash of color appeared on the veterans' faces, who had been licking their lips in frustration.

But their faces quickly crumpled like discarded tissue.

“You also have to pay the protection fee, after all, so you should take a bit more.”

"......"

They obediently transferred the money without much resistance.

Because of the unmatchable combat prowess I’d shown in the dungeon, they didn’t even dare entertain any other ideas.

Fighting boldly on purpose really paid off.

"Please contact me next time you find a good dungeon."

At my farewell, the two hunters shuddered and quickly left the place.

So from now on, think about earning money the right way.

Don't try to prey on beginners.

Even if you generously consider training a necessary evil, what’s with charging a million won for a dungeon that’s barely worth two hundred thousand won per person?

“Please give me your account numbers.”

After the two veterans left, I deposited one million won each to the two Espers.

Honestly, I hadn’t planned on being this generous.

I was not that kind-hearted.

But after witnessing the rotten parts of hunters over and over again, starting from the qualification test, I wanted to cleanse my own heart, even if it was just like this.

"Thank you so much. How can we repay you…"

“This isn’t something I’m doing for you two. It’s for myself.”

“Uh...?”

“Now that we’re done here, let’s go our separate ways. I hope you become great hunters.”

I finished the formal goodbye and turned away.

“W-wait a moment.”

"?"

“This is my father’s business card.”

He was not even giving me his own number but his father's business card?

The card read ‘[Umbrella Industry / CEO Do Iseo]’.

Oh, this guy was born with a silver spoon.

“Actually, we’re siblings. I’m Do Yuchan. My younger brother is Do Yusung.”

Now that I think about it, I hadn’t even asked their names while toiling around through the dungeon.

Feeling a bit awkward, I accepted the business card without protest.

“If you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to contact our father. I mean it!”

With that, the sibling Espers, a couple of years older than me, bowed and took their leave.

It was clear they didn't have the skill to join a guild, but maybe these guys didn’t really need a guild’s protection anyway.

By the way, the name ‘Umbrella Industry’ sounded unfamiliar.

Where have I heard of it before?

***

Recently, my condition has changed a bit.

[User Information]

[Black Aether Held: 2458BA]

[Physical Enhancement Ability: 'D-rank’]

[Self-Healing Ability: 'S-rank’]

[Skill: Poison Steps - Level 2]

[Skill: Beast Communication - Level 1]

[New Skill Acquired: Beast Communication (交感) – Level 1: You can communicate with monsters. At Level 1, limited communication is possible with intelligent Poison-type monsters.]

Ah.

So that's why I was able to communicate telepathically with Big Tigger.

He wasn’t a Poison type originally, but it’s probably because the lab injected him with a high concentration of poison that communication with me became possible.

I wonder if Big Tigger managed to escape the Hunter Association safely?

I’d really like to see him again someday.

Still, even if it was just a 1-star dungeon, the Aether levels were seriously underwhelming.

Even after absorbing all the cores I'd collected from the dungeon, the increase was minimal.

In terms of monetary value, it was still worth several hundred thousand won.

And that even included the core from the boss nutria I brought back that day.

Even if the others showed intention to have it, it was an unwritten rule that the one who contributed the most to taking down the boss gets its core.

Although I brought back more than the other hunters who entered the dungeon that day, my BA only increased by a double-digit amount.

Could it be that I could only absorb black cores?

[There are no specific restrictions on the user’s core absorption. The Aether contained within the core is absorbed without any loss.]

I see.

In a way, that was a relief.

If I ended up being unable to absorb regular monster cores, it might’ve put a cap on my growth.

Actually, just being able to store ordinary cores inside my body without any filtration was a huge stroke of luck.

Other hunters have to bear exorbitant processing fees to absorb cores, and even then, more than half of the energy gets lost.

Simply put, it was expensive and inefficient.

However, since I could absorb cores instantly anytime and anywhere, that alone let me grow several times faster than others.

'If only I could get my hands on that...'

As I thought about cores, an object naturally came to mind.

The dazzling golden sphere I saw during the Awakened stat test. The Golden Core.

I couldn't even imagine how much Aether it contained.

Compared to the black cores I got from the Poison Dungeon, it radiated an overwhelming energy that made them feel insignificant.

Since I was only gathering rare herbs, I’ve never actually seen a boss-level black core before.

But one thing’s for sure, no matter how many Venomous Centipede's belly I slice open, they won’t surpass the Golden Core.

'I want it...…’

Golden Core.

If I could just absorb it, the Aether inside my body would explode.

Should I steal it?

Maybe contact Bisu and use her Stealth.....

—Kkwang!!

“Whoa, you startled me.”

So this must be why people can’t help but fall into sin.

I was startled by the small cry of the little rascal.

By the way, why was this guy suddenly so on edge? 

Ding dong.

That question didn’t last long before it was answered.

The sound of the doorbell ringing at our place, where no visitors were supposed to come.

"Sis, did you order a package?"

"No, I didn't….?"

It would be wise to be cautious.

I gently drew Aether up within my body and opened the door.

"Who is it?"

“Hello, Hunter Chun Haesun.”

“Uh…..”

The man in his 40s who came to the house had a familiar face.

His neatly combed bangs and rimless glasses gave him an intelligent appearance.

He was the supervisor in charge of the first round of the Hunter Qualification Test.

“You may remember me. I'm Pyo Hyukgyu from the Hunter Association.”

I remember.

He was the Association staff member who personally inserted the Golden Core into the Awakening stat checking machine back then.

Now that the exam was over, why would he come to my house?

“I came unannounced because I have something urgent to discuss with you, Hunter Chun Haesun. I know it’s impolite, but I hope you’ll understand.”

Supervisor Pyo Hyukgyu bowed his head slightly and made a polite request.

He looked at least twenty years older than me.

Maybe it's because he was a government official, but he seemed to place a lot of importance on formality.

"No. I was just taking a break... Please wait a moment."

I put on my tracksuit jacket and left the house with Supervisor Pyo Hyukgyu.

***

"Here you go."

"Thank you for the treat."

We ordered coffee at a nearby cafe and sat down next to each other.

His expression was calm, but Pyo Hyukgyu occasionally scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze.

He seemed to be on guard about something, but I decided to pretend not to notice as I sipped my coffee.

“It's a bit late, but congratulations. It's been ten years since a Hunter received an 'S' rank in the qualification test, so the Association has very high hopes for you.”

"Thank you."

“You haven’t joined a guild yet…..”

“No, I haven’t given it much thought yet.”

"With all due respect, may I ask why?"

So that’s what he came here to ask.

Well, I could understand the Association's curiosity.

If an 'S'-ranked hunter isn't active, it's a huge loss to the nation.

But I didn’t really have any particular reason to join a guild.

No, to be exact, it’s better if I didn’t join.

I became a Hunter solely to legally enter dungeons.

The Association wasn’t exactly a group I was fond of either, though not as much as the Glory Guild.

“I’m not even sure which guild would suit me….. and if possible, I’d prefer to work alone.”

"Alone?"

Pyo Hyukgyu blinked and asked.

For an 'S'-ranked hunter, clearing low-level dungeons alone wasn't a big deal.

But that’s usually the case for Knights or Espers, not for healers.

There aren’t many healers with killing power worldwide.

"Yes. I plan to work alone to gain some experience."

"I see…..”

Pyo Hyukgyu, who had been swirling the ice in his cup with a straw, suddenly blurted out something unexpected.

“How about a Poison Dungeon?”

I almost spat out the coffee I was drinking.

I was already planning to jump into a Poison Dungeon as soon as my probation period ended.

Even though I’m an ‘S’ ranker, I was wondering if the Association would allow me to enter alone.

“A Poison Dungeon?”

And yet, the Association was the first to mention the Poison Dungeon to me.

Supervisor Pyo Hyukgyu.

What kind of person are you?

"A Poison Dungeon?"

"Oh. Of course, we're not forcing you. It's just we had hoped….."

"Please tell me more."

"Um.... This is unofficial information..."

Pyo Hyukgyu straightened up and continued speaking quietly.

“Recently, a Code Yellow emergency alert was issued in the North American region. It was due to the appearance of a monster.”

‘Code Yellow’ is one of the top three major emergency alerts on Earth.

“It’s not the first or second time monsters have appeared, so there must have been something special.”

“Yes. That’s because those monsters escaped from a dungeon.”

“What???”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears.

Usually, monsters suddenly appear only when a ‘gate’ opens.

But dungeons aren’t like that.

The very presence of a dungeon nearby is unsettling, so people just hunt down and eliminate the boss monsters. But leaving it alone doesn’t cause monsters to suddenly appear.

If that were the case, the Association would have made the Poison Dungeons their top priority to resolve.

But the information Pyo Hyukgyu just shared shook the foundation of what I previously knew.

"The dungeon itself wasn't particularly difficult, so the guild in charge cleared it out immediately. But I believe you're well aware of the gravity of this incident."

It went without saying.

My face sank as heavy as Pyo Hyukgyu's.

What if, by some chance, all the monsters in our country's dungeons burst out at once?

That day, South Korea’s population would be cut in half.

“So far, only two cases have been reported worldwide. The World Hunter Protection Organization (WHPO) is keeping quiet about this incident for now. If the news were to spread to the public, it would cause widespread panic.”

“I don’t think staying silent will solve anything. Already having two cases…”

“That’s correct.”

Pyo Hyukgyu gave a bitter smile and admitted it without hesitation.

‘Something can happen once. But if that happens twice, it will definitely happen the third time.’

This is a phrase that has been repeated countless times among hunters since their experience with monsters.

How many times have they hoped it was just a coincidence and prayed it wouldn’t happen again.

But historically, something that happened twice had never stopped.

“We have been closely monitoring Hunter Chun Haesun’s abilities and actions since the qualification test. What stood out the most was your healing ability. Not only did you heal external wounds, but you also completely detoxified harmful substances inside the body.”

“Yes. I didn’t expect the exam to be that intense.”

I replied with a rather sarcastic tone.

To even go as far as injecting monster venom into Big Tigger, who was already a wreck (?), and bringing him in like that.

It was as if they were more than hoping I would fail.

I know who ordered that, but since Pyo Hyukgyu was part of the Association, there was no way he could say anything negative about it.

But Pyo Hyukgyu’s response was a masterpiece.

“And someone ended up digging their own grave for it. Serves them right.”

"?"

Pyo Hyukgyu answered with a light smile, but his eyes seemed to hold a whirlwind of unspoken thoughts.

Someone in his position, a supervisor, would definitely know who gave the order, yet he was openly criticizing them.

In many ways, he was a more complex person than I thought.

“With your healing abilities, Hunter Chun Haesun, I believe you’re more than capable of navigating a low-tier Poison Dungeon freely. Just like Miss Maria once did.”

“…I should be fine.”

I already mined Silver Bloom from a 5-star (★★★★★) dungeon, so low-tier Poison Dungeons were nothing to me.

At this point, pretending not to know felt harder than just being honest.

“There isn’t a single guild willing to take responsibility for the Poison Dungeon. If, by any chance, monsters were to spill out from it… we could be looking at a second Gaebang Neighborhood incident.”

My eyebrow furrowed slightly at the mention of Gaebang Neighborhood, but Pyo Hyukgyu continued speaking calmly.

“If you had joined a guild, Hunter Chun Haesun, I wouldn’t be making this proposal. But since you mentioned you'll be operating independently for the time being, I’d like to make this request.”

So that was the real reason he came to see me.

As for me, I had no reason to turn down the Poison Dungeon.

Far from turning it down, if I get free access to the Poison Dungeon, I’d welcome it with open arms.

“No payment?”

Nevertheless, I set a condition.

Why?

Because ‘generally,’ Hunters don’t gain anything by going into a Poison Dungeon.

The Black Cores extracted from the bodies of poisoned monsters are nothing more than waste, useless as weapons or energy sources.

Of course, for me, it was an absolute goldmine, but from their perspective, me accepting this offer so readily would actually raise suspicion.

“This matter isn’t officially handled by the Hunter Association… but I’ve brought something that might be helpful to you.”

Hmm.

Could it be that he was just trying to bribe me with some kind of souvenir?

That’s typical of government folks.

I glanced indifferently at the box Pyo Hyukgyu pulled out.

But that box…

Where had I seen it before?

Click.

Then, when I saw the contents of the box, I nearly fell backward.

The very thing I'd longed for, even in my dreams, was now right before my eyes!

"A... Golden Core??”

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