Episode 28 – Monopoly Men and Clowns in Suits

Episode 28 – Monopoly Men and Clowns in Suits

The moment Shin Hae-seong (신해성) finished his smug little remark, something in Kim Do-hyun (김도현) shifted. Maybe it was the way the guild master had looked him up and down like an insect. Maybe it was the mockery in his tone. Or maybe it was just Do-hyun's mood. Either way, something snapped loose—but not in a violent, reckless way. No. It was more playful than that. More dangerous because of how calm it felt.

He took a step forward, just enough to close the gap slightly, but not enough to be disrespectful. His face still held that polite smile, but the glint in his eye had changed. There was something sharper now. Intentional.

"I have to admit," Do-hyun said, voice still perfectly neutral, almost conversational, "It's kind of surreal to be standing here with someone like you."

Shin Hae-seong tilted his head slightly, his interest faintly piqued. "Oh?" he said, that same amusement still in his voice.

"You're the number one name in the dungeon monopoly rankings, right?" Do-hyun asked, letting his words hang in the air. His tone was casual, almost curious, but the weight behind them was undeniable. "The one known for locking down the most profitable gates. The guy who files claim paperwork so fast other guilds barely get to read the listings before they're already sealed."

Jo Mo (Han Jin-woo) immediately tensed beside him, eyes darting toward Do-hyun like he had just heard a siren.

Do-hyun wasn't finished.

"You also hold the record for the lowest per-head payout ratio across all five top guilds," he added thoughtfully, like he was just reading trivia off a wiki page. "A lot of Awakened say the only thing tighter than your dungeon grip is your wallet."

The guild master's jaw shifted slightly.

"I can't believe someone like you would be wasting time down here with an F-rank like me," Do-hyun said, feigning surprise as he looked around. "It's like seeing a celebrity pop up in a fast food joint. Makes me wonder if something's wrong at the top."

For a full second, nobody moved. The entire hallway felt like it had dipped in cold water. Even Number 1, still casually sipping coffee near the vending machine, tilted his head slightly in amusement.

Then, the guild master's lips curled upward—not into a friendly grin, but something more primal. A dangerous smirk, the kind that predators wore right before they lunged.

"You've got guts, kid," Shin Hae-seong said, taking a step forward until the space between them was almost nonexistent. His presence flared, not physically, not magically, but in a way that made the fluorescent lights above hum a little louder. His stare was unrelenting, the kind of gaze that tested your very foundation. "For someone who barely has a mana signature, you sure know how to run that mouth."

Do-hyun held firm. He didn't flinch. He didn't blink. In fact, he smiled just a little bit more.

"If you're that good," Shin Hae-seong said, stepping back just slightly but gesturing toward the combat testing doors nearby, "then why don't you show me what kind of power you think qualifies you to speak like that?"

He said it so casually, but his hand was already resting on the handle of the reinforced training room door. One step further, and he was going to drag Kim Do-hyun into an evaluation battle.

Jo Mo looked like he was about to say something, but he hesitated. Whatever beef existed between WN Agency and the Hae-seong Guild, it was obviously deeper than just petty competition. And now, Do-hyun had gotten right in the middle of it.

"Come on," Shin Hae-seong said, that same grin still on his face, "let's find out if you're all bark, or if there's actually some bite in that tiny body of yours."

Kim Do-hyun tilted his head to the side, considering it for half a second, but then—suddenly—something else broke the moment.

From further down the hallway, a staffer sprinted into view, panting, sweat clinging to his forehead as he clutched a communication device in both hands.

"Guild Master Shin!" he shouted, voice trembling with urgency. "There's a situation—outside the eastern lobby entrance. High-tier construct summoned itself. One of ours triggered a dormant glyph. It's active now!"

Immediately, the guild master's posture shifted. Gone was the smirking arrogance. His body snapped to attention like a soldier hearing the call to arms. He turned sharply, gave Jo Mo a nod that was more of a warning than a goodbye, then glanced back once more at Kim Do-hyun.

"What's your name, kid?" Shin Hae-seong asked, one eyebrow raised. "If you're gonna talk like that, at least let me remember it."

Do-hyun didn't miss a beat. He looked the man straight in the eyes and replied with nothing but calm defiance.

"Figure it out yourself, clown."

He turned and walked off, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, as if none of this had ever happened. His footsteps echoed calmly across the marble floor, not rushed, not shaken. Just steady. Like nothing in that interaction had left a scratch on him.

"Good luck, Jo Mo," he added over his shoulder without looking back.

Han Jin-woo exhaled slowly through his nose. His fingers were still tensed around his clipboard, knuckles pale. But there was a hint of a grin forming on his lips now.

As the sound of Shin Hae-seong's footsteps vanished down the hall behind them, Jo Mo finally let himself relax. He stepped closer to Do-hyun, nodding once.

"I'll be honest," he said under his breath, "you just painted a target on your back. But thanks. That was kind of satisfying."

Kim Do-hyun didn't respond. He just kept walking, a half-smile playing at the edge of his mouth.

There were things about this world that were still unclear to him. But one thing was becoming very obvious: there was bad blood between WN Agency and Hae-seong Guild. Something deeper than just dungeon territory or recruitment battles. This wasn't a rivalry. It was war with suits on.

And outside this building, the war was spilling into the public space too.

Online, forums and comment sections had already begun stirring. The latest footage from the evaluation hall had been leaked by someone—most likely a low-rank intern who wasn't paid enough to keep secrets. In less than an hour, the clip of Kim Do-hyun standing calmly before Shin Hae-seong had started trending. The camera didn't catch their full conversation, but the ending was clear enough.

"Clown."

One word.

And it had ignited the net like a dropped match in a gas station.

Threads on the Hunter subreddit exploded.

"WN Agency is trash. F-rank kids trying to bark at S-rank lions. LOL." "He's gonna die in his first dungeon." "Someone give that F-rank an award. Comedy of the year." "Bro didn't flinch. Respect."

The hate was loud. But so was the curiosity.

Some were already asking who Kim Do-hyun was. Others were digging into his background, looking for videos, history, stats. A few dedicated gossip junkies even tried to match his face to older academy records. And sure enough, a few clips from the gym surveillance network had been pieced together and stitched into short montages.

But as the buzz grew, so did something else. A question.

If he was just a joke… why did he look so calm? Why did a man like Shin Hae-seong take time out of his day to speak with him directly?

There was something off about this. Something intriguing.

And Kim Do-hyun?

He was already five steps ahead.

He had no intention of getting pulled into a spotlight he didn't earn. But if the world insisted on watching him, then they were going to see something that didn't fit into their neat little categories.

He wasn't here to play their game.

He was here to build his own.

---

Author's Note:

Wouldn't life be so much easier if you had your own clone? Imagine one version of you handling school deadlines, another powering through that annoying nine-to-five, a third keeping your room clean for once, and maybe a fourth just curled up with snacks, reading Webnovel chapters all day long while you nap like royalty. Sounds like a dream, right?

Sadly, we're not Kim Do-hyun… not yet, anyway. But if you're still reading this, then guess what—you're already part of something just as special. Every second you spend here, every time you hit that vote button, leave a comment, drop a gift, or send in a Golden Ticket, you're helping shape this world alongside me. You're not just a reader. You're one of the hidden forces behind every scene, every battle, every breath this story takes.

And don't forget, even unlocking Privilege to read ahead makes a huge difference. It may seem small, but in this world we're building together, every single action stacks up. This is Webnovel, after all—no tap is too tiny, no gesture too small to matter.

So thank you. Let's keep the story going. Let's build something unforgettable.

LittleLYTA

Clone #42 signing off for snack duty.