Episode 80

There were several troublesome checkpoints.

Even in insignificant alleyways, they demanded tolls.

Using the ridiculous excuse of preventing terrorism, they ran metal detectors over the entire body.

With even a single dagger, it was impossible to avoid detection by the metal scanners.

The hunters of Jajang, upon this, would become furious, questioning why the metal was detected.

However, the amusing part was that after making such a fuss, they would simply say it was nothing and let you pass.

It was then Kang-hoo realized the checkpoints weren’t really about safety or security but more about making extra money. So, he changed his approach.

He withdrew a generous amount of 50,000 won bills from a nearby ATM.

He made bundles of 1 million and 2 million won, offering them to the obstructive hunters.

But with a condition.

“I’ll give it only to the one who treats me with the utmost respect. Just one person. I won’t choose several.”

The atmosphere changed from that moment.

The checkpoint searches disappeared as if by magic.

They vied to clear the way, remove obstacles, and even brought iced water for Kang-hoo.

Is this the taste of capitalism?

Kang-hoo felt the joy of spending money as he proceeded.

The area was firmly under the control of the local warlords, with Jajang’s flags fluttering everywhere.

Though not as large as the group led by Lee Hyun-seok of The Abyss.

They were significant enough to be considered a local warlord.

Such a force likely had connections with local businesses, police, and the Hunter Public Safety Bureau.

No wonder the underlings acted so brazenly. It was an expected scene.

Contrary to expectations of difficulty in meeting the boss, Kang-hoo’s meeting with Kim Jahoh happened quickly.

When Kang-hoo inquired, offering a minimum of 1 billion won for dungeon rental, it seemed to pique interest.

It was rare for an outsider hunter to come to Yeosu to rent a dungeon license.

There must have been curiosity to meet.

Soon, he met Kim Jahoh.

His office was filled with the stuffed heads of wild animals.

Their eyes were wide open at the moment of death, which was chilling.

This was different from the neat and tidy offices of the Seoul hunters.

Although it was broad daylight, Kim Jahoh started the conversation, drinking vodka from his glass.

“Not often we get outsiders here. You suddenly come wanting to attack our Jajang dungeon?”

“I’ve been interested in a particular dungeon for a while.”

“I heard about which dungeon you’re interested in. But there’s nothing special about that dungeon.”

“Maybe intuition? I feel like this time I might find some good items.”

“Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you, by chance, on drugs?”

The conversation took a sudden turn, but it was an expected reaction.

Han Seung-hyeok had said the same thing before.

It was strange for Kang-hoo to think a dungeon they had attacked hundreds of times was special.

If it had been a less-explored dungeon or one with something special, they might have been surprised.

But it was a plain, ordinary dungeon, so the sudden interest seemed incomprehensible.

Moreover, the 1 billion won they proposed for the rental was no small sum.

“Can’t I just be a hunter who loves adventure?”

“I won’t stop you from coming to our dungeon and spending money on our organization, but it’s just too strange, isn’t it?”

“That’s how the world is.”

“This guy, seriously. He’s really high or something.”

Kim Jahoh clicked his tongue in disapproval.

In the Yeosu area, there were many stimulants coming in from China.

Even if they weren’t strictly drugs, there were plenty of substances with drug-like effects.

Kim Jahoh understood Kang-hoo’s absurd curiosity in that context. It seemed to make sense.

After all, from Jajang’s perspective, there was no loss in doing business with dungeon licenses.

Kang-hoo asked,

“Deal?”

“Fine. There’s no problem with renting the license, but we’ve never opened a dungeon exclusively for an outsider before.”

“An escort?”

“More like a watcher. Don’t expect any help.”

“Don’t like seeing someone else get the good stuff, huh?”

“Haha. Just listen to the end.”

Kang-hoo crossed his arms, waiting for him to continue.

Whether it was impromptu or a pre-existing policy, they seemed to have their own way of renting.

As Kang-hoo looked on indifferently, Kim Jahoh took another shot of vodka and continued,

“The dungeon license fee is just 100 million won, but any loot obtained along the way belongs to us.”

“And?”

“We won’t claim ownership of the drop items from the middle boss and main boss. Everything else, however, is ours.”

“Think you can cover the 1 billion won with that?”

“Want me to be honest?”

“Why lie now?”

“If you die during the attack, everything you have becomes ours.”

“…That’s outrageous.”

Kang-hoo burst into hollow laughter.

Upon reflection, Kim Jahoh’s idea seemed quite plausible.

It made sense.

If Kang-hoo died during the attack, the items he was wearing would naturally become Jajang’s property.

No one would come to claim them, and they wouldn’t be easy to track.

“How about it?”

“Well, my business is with the boss monsters, so let’s do it.”

It wasn’t a loss.

He had come to this dungeon in the first place to acquire new skills.

Moreover, the rewards from the most important middle boss and main boss were off-limits.

“We’ll kindly provide dungeon-related information. But a level scan is a must.”

“Anytime.”

As Kang-hoo nodded, Kim Jahoh used a scanning device he had brought out to scan Kang-hoo’s body.

The level scan process usually took about a minute, so a brief awkward silence followed.

After a while, seeing Kang-hoo’s level displayed on the scanning device, Kim Jahoh was visibly shocked.

“Hey. You’re going into the dungeon with this level? You won’t even get past the entrance. Don’t want to die, do you?”

“Worrying about my life? How kind. Should we call it off then?”

“The dungeon monsters are all around level 200. It’ll be really tough with a level under 100.”

“Whether it’s tough or not, we’ll see after entering. After all, if I die, it’s me, not you.”

“True, I’m overstepping. Alright. I’ll assign someone to guide you. Remember, they won’t help you, even if you’re in danger.”

“Don’t throw cold water on it now.”

Kang-hoo replied nonchalantly.

Kim Jahoh’s tone and reactions were slightly annoying, but he was quite cooperative in the end.

Considering he was a local warlord, I had expected some stubbornness, but the conversation proceeded smoothly.

Fortunately, the dungeon was ready for an attack, so he could enter without further delay.

A good start.

Kang-hoo entered the dungeon with the ‘watcher’ 15 minutes later.

The hunter appeared quite young, probably not even twenty years old.

After introducing themselves, Kang-hoo learned that the watcher’s name was Baek Seon-tae, an obvious alias.

Upon entering the dungeon, Baek Seon-tae crossed his arms and observed how Kang-hoo handled the monsters.

He saw no reason to exert himself, so he didn’t bother to draw his weapon.

However, Baek Seon-tae watched Kang-hoo’s movements with interest, likely because they were of the same profession.

How long had he been watching Kang-hoo?

Once Kang-hoo had smoothly subdued the entrance’s monsters and finished his warm-up, Baek Seon-tae casually initiated a conversation.

They were in a lull between monster waves, creating a natural chance to talk.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a good assassin. Good posture, no flaws. Interesting, isn’t it?”

“Hard to find assassins these days.”

“More like hard to find skilled ones. Most just show off and end up killed.”

Pride in his own profession and disdain for other assassins who didn’t meet his standards were clear in Baek Seon-tae’s words.

Kang-hoo shared a similar sentiment.

Many in the assassin profession try to look cool without possessing real skill.

These types usually have brief lifespans.

Being an assassin is one of the most sensitive professions among hunters.

One mistake can easily cost you your life, consistently ranking at the top in terms of occupational risk.

If an assassination attempt fails, the assassin, being closest to the target, becomes the easiest prey.

The saying ‘high risk, high return’ isn’t without merit; the stakes are indeed high.

Baek Seon-tae continued,

“Is there a particular reason you had to choose this dungeon, even though you’re giving up most of the rewards?”

“Call it a sense of adventure. Seeking unpredictability in an uncertain world. Something like that.”

Kang-hoo spoke offhand, then slightly turned his head and laughed as if he found his own response absurd.

His reason was clear.

He was here to learn skills through a skill book trick.

But he didn’t feel like sharing his secrets with a stranger, so he resorted to talking nonsense.

“Anyway, I’m enjoying the view. Your level is unbelievably low for your skill.”

Baek Seon-tae didn’t conceal his sincerity.

His level was 250.

Compared to Kang-hoo, he was a 2.5 times stronger expert.

Yet, during the battle, he perceived near-perfection in Kang-hoo’s movements.

Clean, concise.

Seemingly effortless, yet each motion was sharp.

Not at all sloppy.

Any hunter would recognize how difficult it is for these descriptors to coexist.

If you could combine these words into one, it would be ‘perfection’.

That was the caliber of Kang-hoo’s movements.

Meanwhile, aside from Baek Seon-tae’s compliments, Kang-hoo was considering the current battle as training.

‘I need to dodge even more narrowly, to create the timing I want.’

From the perspective of a novice, avoiding danger from the outset seems like the best strategy.

It significantly lowers the risk.

However, reality isn’t always so simple.

An experienced hunter can predict your next move if you evade too early.

By showing your hand early, you make it easier for them to target you.

An experienced hunter naturally thinks a few steps ahead.

‘The later I dodge, the more time and attack opportunities I can waste.’

Kang-hoo delayed his evasion to complicate the opponent’s planning for their next move.

This was Kang-hoo’s next step in growth.