Editor: Cherish
Third Division Hwaran Squad.
Unlike the first and second divisions that were designed to guard the gates in Suwon and Pohang, the third division is involved with overseeing Players' illegal actions.
'So she's the commander of the third division.' Kang Yu looked at the girl with shiny silver hair.
The silver hair looked quite unusual with her Asian appearance, but she was beautiful and it suited her.
'She must be strong.' Kang Yu scanned the girl from head to toe.
While she looked fragile on the outside, Kang Yu could tell such a term didn't apply to her at all.
Her behavior and habits appeared majestic.
Above all, there was something in her that exuded resilience.
It was difficult to assess her level of training and real skills from just a single glance, but she was definitely someone with a unique character.
— Ah, you have a guest with you. I'm sorry to barge in unannounced. Oh, could it be… is this the rookie you picked out personally? — Baek Hwa Yeon looked at Kang Yu.
— That's right.
— Is he part of the Red Rose now?
— No, he's not with us. We have a partnership.
— Oh. I'm surprised you're giving so much support to a man outside the guild.
— He's a very valuable Player.
Hwa Yeon looked at Kang Yu with interest and extended her hand:
— It's nice to meet you. I'm from the third division of Hwaran Squad, Commander Baek Hwa Yeon.
— Oh Kang Yu.
— Oh Kang Yu… — When she heard his name, she squinted slightly, going over everyone she knew. His name sounded familiar. — Ah! That guy at the Level C Gate! —
When she remembered they'd previously met each other, Hwa Yeon's eyes were bright as she shook the guy's hand.
Young-ju, tilting her head sideways, asked her in surprise:
— Have you guys met before?
— Yes, I remember him well. He was a very friendly and mannered guy. Hey, turns out you really do know a lot about good Players.
— What…? – Young-ju's face twisted like she had eaten something sour when she heard Hwa Yeon's description of Kang Yu. She looked at him skeptically.
'Friendly and good manners? What kind of nonsense is that?'
Kang Yu wasn't exactly the type of person she would describe with those words.
'Is he even capable of that?' The guild leader looked at Kang Yu with doubt.
He scratched the back of his head and feigned innocence.
— Oh~ You're overreacting. Seriously ,you're flattering me too much.
— Ugh.
— What's wrong…? — Hwa Yeon stared at the guild leader with surprise.
— I'm sick of it, — Young-ju muttered. — Well, I can't agree that he's friendly and well-behaved, but he certainly has great abilities. —
— Um, I see. — Hwa Yeon nodded and sat down on a chair.
Young-ju turned her eyes back on Kang Yu and asked:
— So what kind of favor were you going to ask for?
— Um… – Kang Yu glanced at Hwa Yeon.
Taking his hint, she continued:
— Don't worry about Hwa Yeon. She and I have a very close relationship.
— Hmm. If that's the case, then I'll just say it: Make a permanent pass to the S-level gate for me.
— Huh…? — Young-ju was bewildered, not expecting such a request
Looking at the guy, she squinted:
— Are you going hunting there?
— That's right. Didn't I tell you about my 'pet?' If I was hunting there alone, it would be dangerous, but there are two of us, so I'll be safe.
— Oh… — Young-ju thought it over.
His words were not meaningless. From what she knew about him, he wasn't the kind of person who would risk his life just to show off.
It's more likely that if he says he'll hunt at the S-level Gate, then he really will.
— You do know about the monsters that live in that gate, don't you?
— Giant orcs, mountain giants, and…
— That's where El Quero lives, — Yeon Ju quietly said the boss's name. — If you're going to hunt there, don't go near the lake. Do you understand? —
— I got it. — Kang Yu nodded affirmatively with a serious expression.
At the Level S Gate, there was a huge lake occupying more than half the surface.
But strangely enough, almost no monsters lived in that giant lake.
The very reason was the monster El Quero.
A creature that looks like a stingray, just over 30 meters in size.
Its wide fins were covered with tens of thousands of poisonous needles, and its body emits electric current.
He had eaten almost all of the other monsters living in the lake, and the rest had moved to land to escape.
It was for this reason that only small monsters remained in the lake, so small that El Quero does not even consider them as food.
The lake was beautiful on the outside, but, because of a single predator, it turned into a deadly, frightening place.
— Oh… I'll apply for a pass with a longer period, so you can go to the gate tomorrow.
— Thank you. — Kang Yu's eyes immediately shone as soon as he heard that he could use the pass tomorrow.
— Wa… wait! — Hwa Yeon exclaimed, bewildered by what she heard. — What's all this nonsense? How can he go to a Level S Gate if he was only at a Level C Gate a few weeks ago? —
— Ah… How should I put it… — Young-ju smiled a little and took a deep breath.
Like Hwa Yeon said, he was merely a Class C Player just a few weeks ago.
But now…
'He's a monster who can defeat S-level gate creatures.' She looked at Kang Yu with narrowed eyes.
Young-ju knew very well that he was a talented Player.
She thought he was probably even superior to the best Player in Korea, Baek Kang Hyun.
However, he surpassed all her expectations.
His leveling speed couldn't be explained in any way.
'He can only be compared to the First Lady.'
First Lady Grace McCobbin.
The strongest Player in the world and also the #1 World Ranker, top of the top.
'He's even faster than Grace.'
It's been a month since he became a Player.
It's been a month since he rose above even the strongest rookies.
No matter how fast the First Lady developed, Kang Yu had done it a lot faster.
'What kind of monster will he end up as?' She looked at Kang Yu with an expression filled with both anticipation and awe.
— He has things to do there. You can trust his abilities.
— Hmm… Still, the S-level gate… — Hwa Yeon looked at Kang Yu with an incomprehensible look.
Even the country's most powerful Players, which weren't so many, avoided hunting alone at the Level S Gate.
Of course, the main reason Players didn't want to go there was El Quero, but even ordinary monsters weren't on a level where you could just ignore them.
'Maybe he got a special S-level ability at rank 3?' Hwa Yeon took a look at him and cocked her head to the side. 'Even if he did, it's impossible to jump from a Level C Gate to a Level S Gate in a matter of weeks.'
Which means his special ability is much higher than S.
— You seem to have gotten a great Player…
— Well, that's how it is. — Young-ju shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
— I'm going to go now. — Kang Yu stood up. His business here was finished.
An ID for Echidna and a Level S gate pass.
After solving both problems in one day, he no longer had any reason to stay in this place.
'Besides, Hwa Yeon came in for some business, too.' He turned to the door after taking another glance at the Hwaran Squad's third division leader.
— Be careful. The S-level gate is a really dangerous place. I hunted there once too and almost ended up paying for it with my life.
— I'll keep that in mind, thank you. — Kang Yu left the office with these words.
Once Kang Yu left, it was like the office became empty.
Young-ju looked at Hwa Yeon, who had moved into Kang Yu's seat.
— So, what's your question?
— It's about the Devil's Teacher.
The moment she heard the 'Devil's Teacher,' her expression grew dark, and the hatred that just couldn't be concealed came out.
— Did you find their trail?
— Not yet.
— Phew… — When Young-ju heard this, she felt exhausted.
— But this time, there's a clue.
— Do you have a lead?
— Do you remember the last time our man got close enough to the Devil's Teacher?
— Yes, I do.
— Last night, he, Kang Dong Hong, sent us a secret message. He got video evidence and said he could pass it to us at a secret meeting.
Hearing this, Young-ju's eyes gleamed.
— He says he has proof?
— That's right.
— Then he could just send the video file, no? Why put himself in danger and go to a private meeting?
— All the equipment that could help in this case is prohibited where he is. He says that even simple messages can't be sent from there.
— These bastards have thought of everything.
— That's why the meeting is necessary. — Hwa Yeon frowned as she thought about it.
Psychos who kidnap people for rituals.
A crazy act.
And so far, no one knew how much wilder things were done at their secret hiding place.
— The place your man has infiltrated is their headquarters?
— No, it's just a branch, I'm pretty sure. We haven't figured out where their headquarters are yet, or if it's even in Korea.
— You think they exist all over the world?
— It's quite possible, given their size.
— Oh. — Young-ju felt another wave of exhaustion hit her. — What kind of monsters are these…? —
A pseudo-religion, sacrificing people, capable of spreading around the world…
Such a ridiculous notion that she couldn't believe it was the 21st century.
— We still haven't confirmed anything for sure. Don't get your hopes up just because of my speculations.
— Where's the rendezvous point?
— In Suwon.
— Suwon?
— We agreed to meet tomorrow at Hwaso Station.
Hwaso in Suwon was a place everyone's heard about.
It's one of two places in all of Korea where an S-level gate is located.
— He'd like to ask for the support of your guild. If possible, don't let this get out, just in case of an emergency.
— Okay. — Young-ju nodded without hesitation. The Devil's Teachers were her priority right now. — I'll go, too. —
— Because of that child?
When she heard Hwa Yeon's question, her face twisted into an anguished expression.
— Don't mention Hae-young.
— Sorry… I get it. If you come in person, I'm sure he'll be safe. — Hwa Yeon smiled bitterly and patted Young-ju on the shoulder.
— Hwaso Station in Suwon…
Young-ju suddenly remembered that Kang Yu was going hunting there.
'We're not going to face each other, right?'
All she had to do was meet the spy and get the video.
There was no reason for him to get involved. Right?