Ep.4:Theclient(1)

The scenery around him started to blur and run like ink in water.

Upon arriving at Han Seo-yeon’s officetel, Kang-hoo finally relaxed and let go of all his burdens.

Not because he naively trusted her, but because she had always been foolishly trusting of him.

Despite the affection they shared until their breakup, they had become nothing more than parts of each other’s past.

Han Seo-yeon had always kept him in her heart.

Even after the breakup, she couldn’t forget him.

That’s why he trusted her.

Even if others betrayed him, she couldn’t, still clinging to her lingering feelings.

Han Seo-yeon was also a hunter.

Her level, at 150, was considerably higher than Kang-hoo’s.

From the moment they met, Kang-hoo had seen information about her constellation.

As a hunter, he considered her far more advanced than himself.

“……”

Han Seo-yeon looked at Kang-hoo with a pitying expression.

Although he looked much better than when she first brought him to her officetel, his face was still pale.

“What exactly happened to you? Were you kidnapped or something?”

She sighed deeply with a distressed look.

Kang-hoo responded to her rhetorical question.

“I was kidnapped by Eclipse.”

He had woken from a deep sleep some time before.

He was just resting with his eyes closed.

Even this was enough to feel his body rapidly recovering.

“Oppa, didn’t you sleep?”

“No, I slept well, thanks to you.”

Kang-hoo shook his head.

Time had changed Han Seo-yeon too; her appearance was different.

Her once waist-length black hair had been cut short, and her body was more muscular and tanned than before.

The last time they spoke, she was just a novice entering the world of hunters.

Now, she seemed like a veteran hunter who had seen and survived it all.

“Eclipse… Were you dragged to the magic stone mine? They’re known for kidnapping hunters.”

“Mana is essential for mining magic stones, so a low-level hunter like me was an easy target.”

“How difficult it must have been for you, oppa… I’m sorry. If I had kept in touch more often, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Tears seemed ready to fall from Han Seo-yeon’s eyes.

Before her emotions could deepen, Kang-hoo replied coldly.

“You don’t need to apologize for my fate, just as I don’t comment on yours.”

“But.”

“Let’s leave it at that. This is the first and last time I’ll be indebted to you. Let’s call it even.”

“Pretending to be cold on the outside when you’re not… You haven’t changed, oppa. It’s obvious.”

“There’s nothing good about being associated with me anymore. Eclipse might track me.”

“Oppa, I’m a hunter too. Level 150. I’ve reached a level where ordinary ones can’t easily mess with me.”

“Good. Use that strength for yourself. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“……”

Instead of responding, Han Seo-yeon nodded silently, accepting his words.

Kang-hoo was known not to open up easily once he had closed off.

Knowing his nature well, she didn’t press further.

Instead, she offered him some prepared items, continuing the conversation.

“Here are some new clothes for you to change into, and a clean, untraceable smartphone.”

“It seems your guild is operating cautiously in a grey area.”

“Yes. And here’s one million won. I only took out as much as necessary, thinking you might refuse more.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve also prepared some basic materials. If you’re not planning to go to Seoul right away, it might be good to look at these.”

The materials Han Seo-yeon handed him concerned unofficial mercenary groups, not formal guilds.

This was precisely the information Kang-hoo needed.

Joining a guild would be too risky for him.

He needed to minimize contact with ‘The Thirteen Stars,’ as Jang Si-hwan’s influence extended to many domestic guilds.

Even if there was no direct connection to Jang Si-hwan, the possibility of falling under the influence of ‘The Thirteen Stars’ was high.

In other words, it wasn’t safe.

At the moment, ‘The Thirteen Stars,’ or rather their underlings, were unaware of the constellation ‘Dimension Plunderer.’

But once they became aware, relentless pursuit and elimination attempts would follow.

That’s why being an ‘independent client’ who only accepted tasks from mercenary groups, without worrying about guilds or crime syndicates, was the best fit.

An independent client became a complete stranger once the task was done, with no further entanglement.

Seeing Kang-hoo focused on one place for a while, Han Seo-yeon added,

“I can connect you to the nearest mercenary group. An acquaintance of mine is the leader.”

“Any issue with using an alias?”

“Not at all. They won’t ask anything beyond a basic level scan and verification.”

“Then, connect me there. It might be my last request.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘last’? Think of it as paying back the love and care you’ve given me.”

“Seo-yeon.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t get trapped in the past.”

Han Seo-yeon’s hand paused as she was about to contact her ‘acquaintance’ at the mercenary group.

Struck by the deep resonance of Kang-hoo’s words, she wiped her reddened eyes and made the call.

At the same time, she spoke to Kang-hoo with a voice strained to suppress her emotions.

“Take care, oppa. Always stay healthy.”

“I wish the same for you.”

With that, all past affection was buried in that moment.

Preparations moved swiftly.

The connection was made, and a meeting place with the mercenary group leader was set near Daejeon Station.

After a brief hug with Han Seo-yeon, Kang-hoo stepped into a taxi heading back to Daejeon Station.

He then briefly examined the items he had acquired during his escape.

The axe seemed unnecessary, as he had no skill in wielding such weapons.

He could sell it later for a decent price, as there were hunters who specialized in axes.

[Necklace of Favorable Winds]

[Grade: 7]

[Agility +15]

[Bracelet of Rising Vitality]

[Grade: 6]

[Stamina +25]

[1 additional stamina recovery per minute]

He had put on the necklace and bracelet he had taken from the last hunter he killed.

For Kang-hoo, who had extremely low base stats, these items were like a godsend.

Overall, his stats had increased by 40.

It was as if he had compensated for a 40-level deficit with just these items.

‘I didn’t intend it, but the combat during the escape turned out to be helpful in the end.’

Indeed, it was helpful.

This was because all his items were confiscated when he entered the Cheongmyeong Detention Center.

Starting from zero, there was nothing more gratifying than acquiring useful items.

Then, the taxi driver, seemingly uncomfortable with the silence in the car, cautiously glanced at Kang-hoo.

“Would you mind if I turn on the radio, sir?”

“Please do.”

Kang-hoo gave a nod.

The driver tuned to his usual station, and a news broadcast was playing.

[Hunter Jang Si-hwan has announced the annihilation of the mercenary group 'White Rose' based in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do.]

[The White Rose, long pursued by Hunter Jang Si-hwan, was a criminal organization accused of plotting the Gangnam Station Exit 11 terrorist incident.]

Kang-hoo couldn’t help but smirk.

To be clear, the White Rose was not a terrorist organization.

Nor had they been responsible for the Gangnam Station Exit 11 incident. It was a fabrication by Jang Si-hwan.

But to the general public, unaware of the truth, it looked entirely different.

The taxi driver, echoing Kang-hoo’s silent musings, exclaimed,

“Hunter Jang Si-hwan is indeed a hero! It’s a matter of pride to have such a heroic hunter in South Korea.”

This was the power of image-making.

Furthermore, it foreshadowed the future Kang-hoo was likely to face.

Once he began actively opposing Jang Si-hwan, Jang would use all his influence to paint Kang-hoo as the villain.

A recurring theme resonated in the original story.

“The Thirteen Stars,” with their expansive global network, wielded the power to sway public opinion at their whim.

“My son also awakened as a hunter recently, trying to join Hunter Jang Si-hwan’s guild.”

Kang-hoo didn’t react to the driver’s words, opting to gaze out the window instead.

He had no desire to give a meaningless affirmation or a negatively tinged rebuttal.

‘Level 20 is the pivotal point. Once I acquire the skill, its proficiency will instantly be at its peak.’

For hunters, basic skill acquisition takes place at levels 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100.

Beyond that, levels 200, 400, and 800 exist, but they are so distant that the standard only accounts for up to level 100.

To maximize the benefits of the constellation effect, possessing a greater number of skills is advantageous.

There are methods to attain level 20 and to seize skills from boss monsters.

Yet, delving into dungeons without any connections was not advisable, warranting a cautious approach.

Shortly, the taxi reached the rendezvous point.

After settling the fare with cash and exiting the vehicle, Kang-hoo was met by the mercenary group’s ‘leader,’ who was already present.

“Hello? Seo-yeon mentioned you to me. You were high school classmates, correct? I’m Lee Ye-rin.”

“I’m Jung Sun-kyu.”

Kang-hoo gave a pseudonym.

The warmth from her handshake seemed to lighten his mood.

‘A buffer and a magician, perhaps.’

Kang-hoo was well-informed about her.

She was destined to be one of the antagonists against “The Thirteen Stars” later in the narrative.

Her level was no less than 250 at this juncture.

Predictably, he had already assessed her constellation.

[Observer of Chaos]

[A neutral constellation with specialized capabilities in visual distortion and obstruction.]

‘A solid supporter ranking within the top 100.’

Encountering a character he had meticulously designed so early on thrilled him.

Her goals and approaches resembled those of Shin Kang-hoo in the story, indicating she would likely be an asset in the future.

“What kind of work would you prefer? A gathering request?”

Given her awareness of his level being 10, she seemed to have prepared a fitting proposal.

However, that wasn’t what Kang-hoo desired.

“I’m good with dungeon conquests. Or even tracking difficult bounties, as long as the reward is substantial.”

“There are plenty of bounties, but mere determination isn’t enough to capture them.”

“Catching them isn’t a matter of level. It’s about understanding their habits well.”