Chapter 7

"His name is Park Kang. On the surface, he seems like an ordinary young father working hard for his family, but if you dig deeper... Yah, you."

Yoo Joon Chul's eyes narrowed.

"Don't make that face."

"What face?"

"The 'my list of potential sparring partners is looking good' face."

"You read me perfectly. I'll give you that."

Yoo Joon Chul rubbed his temple as if he had a headache from the brazen response.

"This isn't your list of potential sparring partners. It's a list of candidates for Hunter Seo Chaeyoon, whom we need to treat with utmost respect."

"So, you want me to stop picking fights with every S-rank I meet?"

Yoo Joon Chul flinched, looking momentarily guilty before speaking sternly.

"Of course, if necessary, you can spar with the candidates. But if you upset Seo Chaeyoon and he turns his back on us, we're in trouble. We need to get on his good side, no matter what. We have to make him one of us."

Despite the heavy tone of Yoo Joon Chul's warning, Kwon Ji Han's expression remained intrigued, his eyes glued to the list. Yoo Joon Chul felt a prickling sensation in his stomach. Whenever Kwon Ji Han looked interested, it usually meant big trouble. He preferred it when Kwon Ji Han wore his usual indifferent expression. With anxious eyes, Yoo Joon Chul asked.

"You're not coming to the merger ceremony, right?"

"I'm going."

"Why? You hate guild events. There will be reporters and cameras everywhere. You don't have to come."

"I still have to go. Seo Chaeyoon might be there. How could I miss that?"

"Yah... Just so you know, we're not looking for a fight. We're trying to save the world here. You get that, right? Please, I'm begging you."

Kwon Ji Han grinned wickedly, clearly ignoring the plea. Yoo Joon Chul had a gut feeling that Kwon Ji Han was about to cause a major incident.

Three days after the Nakyup Guild Leader shared the news of the merger with the Seokyeong Guild at a modest barbeque restaurant, it was Monday.

The Seokyeong Guild officially announced their large-scale merger plan. All the guilds involved were small ones, effectively being absorbed by Seokyeong. Such a massive merge hadn't happened since four or five years ago when guilds were sprouting up and disappearing overnight. Both domestic and international media were quick to speculate on the reasons behind Seokyeong Guild's large-scale merger.

Some guessed it was to manage lower-tier dungeons more efficiently, others thought it was to expand their public support projects, or simply a move to grow the guild. Despite the various speculations, Seokyeong Guild remained silent.

In the midst of this, news broke that Seokyeong Guild had first contacted the small guilds for a merger. This brought unprecedented attention to these small guilds, including Nakyup.

"Hee-won, do I have a pimple here?"

"No, you don't."

"Really? I stayed up late last night because I had two interviews after work. I've been doing so many interviews lately that I've got dark circles under my eyes."

"Oh, right. Team Leader, I need to step out at three today."

"Why?"

"I have a TV interview. You know HBS, the Hunter Broadcasting System."

"Oh, right. I have a maganize interview at five, so make it quick."

"I have an interview with 'Hunterpia' in the evening. You know, the number one Hunter channel on HunterNet. They begged me to do it. It's a hassle, but I can't say no."

The Dungeon Raid team, which probably received the most interview requests, was currently inside a dungeon and expected to return tomorrow. Since the management team consisted of F-rank Awakened, Park Young-beom and Go Hee-won were reaping the benefits. Since the official merger announcement last Monday, the two had been competing over who had done more interviews.

The entire guild was in a festive mood. Although the name Nakyup would disappear, the improved salaries and benefits were more than enough compensation. If it weren't for pre-scheduled raid, the Dungeon Raid team would also be swamped with interviews. They couldn't abandon the B-rank Herb Dungeon the Guild Leader had painstakingly secured, so they were expected to return by tomorrow morning to attend the merger ceremony.

Yoon Seo listened to the childish bickering in the background as he packed shield traps into a case and stood up.

"Yoon Seo, where are you going?"

"Oppa, where are you going?"

Park Young-beom and Go Hee-won sharply turned their heads and asked. Their eyes seemed to say 'Are you going for an interview?' Yoon Seo was incredulous.

"Aren't you guys working?"

"... We are."

"We will..."

The two visibly relaxed. Yoon Seo slung his bag over his shoulder and said, "I'm going out for fieldwork today and will head straight home afterward."

"Oh, really? Then we'll see you at the merger ceremony tomorrow."

The globally anticipated merger ceremony was scheduled for six in the evening at Seokyeong's headquarters in Gangnam, followed by a dinner and a banquet at Gyeongbokgung Gyeonghoeru. They probably planned to use a portal trap for the transfer.

"What time should we meet? The management team is meeting two hours early. Isn't that overkill? I know the Seokyeong Guild Leader hates being late, but isn't this too much?" Go Hee-won said haughtily. Park Young-beom snorted in agreement.

"Exactly. We're just a small guild, not some underling. We didn't ask for the merger, Seokyeong wanted it."

"Let's take it easy."

"Yeah, let's meet at noon. It's not about meeting early; I just want to have lunch together."

"Alright. I'll make a reservation at a restaurant in Gangnam."

As usual, Yoon Seo was about to leave the two to their banter when he suddenly stopped. He pulled two transparent envelopes from his bag and handed one to Park Young-beom and the other to Go Hee-won. The two, who had been ready to receive the bag since Yoon Seo started pulling them out, quickly opened them.

"Did you bake cookies again yesterday? Thanks, I'll enjoy them."

"I really support your various hobbies, Yoon Seo. Keep it up."

The bags were filled with delicious-looking chocolate crinkle cookies. Yoon Seo often shared cookies with his colleagues. The two quickly took out the cookies and started munching on them, their faces lighting up with delight at the sweet taste.

Meanwhile, Yoon Seo, who felt full just watching them eat, quickly said goodbye and left the office.

As of yesterday, he had baked 65,191 cookies. His goal was to bake 100,000, so he still had a long way to go.

"Driver Yoon Seo, recognized. Please specify your destination."

As he got into the car, the AI, Chapsal, started the engine with a cheerful voice. Yoon Seo entered the address of his first fieldwork location for the day and reclined his seat.

They're really going through with the merger.

Although he had heard the news a while ago, it was only now starting to feel real.

For now, he was still commuting to the guild building in Yeouido, but after the merger ceremony, some guild members might start commuting to Seokyeong. Yoon Seo hoped he wouldn't be one of them. Gangnam was far from his home... He didn't oppose the merger, but he didn't have fond memories of the Seokyeong Guild.

In fact, he didn't even want to go tomorrow.

Of all days...

Tomorrow was the anniversary of the Great Dungeon. The merger company, which was expected to draw more attention than the government's official commemoration, would undoubtedly mention it.

According to the media, key members of Seokyeong would be attending, so he might even see the mustached man after a long time.

Yoon Seo opened the chat window with the mustached man on his phone.

Mustache

Our princess made kimbap with mom today haha

It looks delicious.

Mustache

Should I share it?

I bought it and ate it

Mustache

Haha, I want to eat it sometime.

Their recent messages were quite peaceful. Neither of them ever mentioned the Great Dungeon in their texts.

Are you coming tomorrow too?

Since the mustached man was always busy, it would take a while for him to reply. Yoon Seo turned off his phone screen.

Today's first installation site was a small commercial building, a C-rank request.

A B-rank would be more effective.

While Chapsal found a parking spot, Yoon Seo pondered. Most of the requests coming into a small guild like Nakyup were B-rank or C-rank, but Yoon Seo always installed B-rank or higher and reported them as C-rank. Even if he got caught, the Nakyup Guild would just say, "Yoon Seo is really talented," and let it slide. Unless he did something extreme like installing an S-rank in a shantytown...

I should be careful for now.

He didn't know what Seokyeong's style was like, he thought it best to refrain from these secret good deeds for a while. Being cautious wouldn't hurt.

Eight Hours Later.

After installing all three shield traps as B-rank or higher, Yoon Seo was on his way home, rubbing his forehead.

"Chapsal, what's wrong with me?"

"No one in the world is without problems."

"That's not comforting at all."

"What would you like me to say? Overcoming depression is something only you can do."

The AI, which had been with him for over eight years, was overly blunt. Since the AI developed based on Yoon Seo's personality, it was his own fault.

I won't get caught. I haven't been caught so far.

As long as there wasn't a dungeon overflow or explosion, he wouldn't get caught. Yoon Seo tried to think optimistically as he picked up his phone. However, the message he received made him even more anxious.

Mustache

Yeah haha I'm going too. It's amazing to be in the same guild as you. When we first met 5 years ago while purchasing a shield trap, we fought like crazy. If I'd known we'd be on the same team, I wouldn't have fought haha.

The message was a lie, as Yoon Seo and the mustached man had first met 12 years ago on the day of the Great Cataclysm.

It meant someone was spying on them and they needed to coordinate their stories.

Yoon Seo's face hardened.

The next day, Yoon Seo arrived at Seokyeong's headquarters in Gangnam ten minutes before the merger ceremony. The guild members, including Guild Leader Ki Sang-hyuk, were already inside the building. Setting the excited selfies and messages urging him to hurry up in the group chat, Yoon Seo sighed.

A red carpet was laid out in front of the main entrance, surrounded by reporters, making it difficult to enter. As he circled around to the back entrance, he received a call from the Guild Leader.

"What is it?"

"What do you mean 'what is it'? The ceremony is about to start. Where are you?"

"We still have time."

"Ten minutes? You call ten minutes 'time'? I didn't expect this from you, especially today. All the other guilds are already here."

"Oppa, hurry up. It's super fancy here. There's tons of delicious food too."

"Yoon Seo, if you got lost in this huge place, should I come get you?"

"I'm nearby. I'm hanging up."

"Yah!"

Yoon Seo coldly ended the call and soon found the back entrance. A few reporters with cameras were loitering around. Shivering, Yoon Seo circled the building once more and came to the side. Squinting against the blinding sunlight, he looked up. The window on the fifth floor was wide open. The glass, with its new bird collision prevention film, was spotless, and each floor had enough ledges for hands and feet. There were no signal jammers, and without a mask or hat, he couldn't pass through the cameras. Climbing it was.

Yoon Seo put his phone in his bag and zipped it up. He placed his hand on the glass.

"Planning to climb up?"

A young man's voice, laced with sarcasm, called out.