Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

An eleven-member small raid party. Usually, hunting parties are made up of six people, but in the Demonic Realm, at least ten was the minimum. The Demonic Realm was unpredictable, and the monsters here were generally tougher than those in other hunting grounds.

Sometimes, regular-sized parties would go hunting, but only if they were skilled or arrived from the north. The reason was that the skilled ones were confident in their abilities, while the northern Hunters had fewer members to form a full party.

People unfamiliar with the Demonic Realm might wonder why northern Hunters don't just team up with Hunters from other areas, but in reality, mixed parties were rare.

It was a matter of trust.

Hunters generally drew a clear line between the north and the south. Northern Hunters thought southern Hunters were cautious cowards, while the south saw the north as potential backstabbers.

Occasionally, northern Hunters were hired as guides, but these parties were usually rookies exploring the Demonic Realm for the first time. Even then, disputes arose because guides were often underpaid.

This worsened the rumors and reduced interaction between the two groups. Newbies looking to challenge the Demonic Realm bore the brunt of this situation.

"Ugh, my back! We barely managed that. Who did the pulling(drew the attention of monsters)?"

"Who else? Our high-horsed main tank."

"Dude! Who are you blaming? The guide should've done a better job. Who leads us to tightly packed monsters? He didn't even do basic scouting properly. Tsk! If I hadn't held them, we would've been wiped."

"So let's use northern guides. What are newbies like us doing here?"

"How can we trust northern guides? If they backstab us in the Demonic Realm, we're done for. Better to map it ourselves."

"When we get out, let's buy maps from the Demonic Realm experts. We might get lost and die otherwise."

"We can see all the Demonic Realm maps we want. They'll just have the main paths everyone uses. Prime hunting spots are kept secret. And they're expensive. Better to explore and map it ourselves. We might get lucky."

"Shh!"

The ranger on long-distance scouting duty signaled for silence. Everyone shut up. The ranger put an ear and hands to the ground. After a while, his face turned pale.

"Damn it! Over a hundred! Run!"

"From where?!"

"Northwest! Damn it, they're fast!"

Other Hunters felt the ground shake too as distant explosions echoed. Without a word, they turned and ran.

"What about the loot...?"

"Leave it!"

They couldn't grab the monster spoils or their gear. In a hunt, survival was key.

Boom! Roar!

"They caught up---!"

The tall trees in the Demonic Realm snapped, and a massive horn burst out, impaling the ranger's waist. The horn tore through his body, splitting him in two. The ranger's halves flew through the air and hit the ground. Dozens of iron-like hooves trampled over him, leaving nothing but a bloody mess.

"Three-horned buffalo!"

"Climb the trees!"

A monster that looked like a bull, stretching to about 4 meters long. It's tough skin and bulging muscles make it deadly for lower-ranked Hunters, as just colliding with it could be fatal.

When the 'Three-Horned Buffalo' passed by, it left no grass standing. The Hunters scrambled up trees to avoid the initial charge, but even the thickest trees couldn't withstand the buffalo. No matter how strong, the trunks fell before its three horns.

Those Hunters who managed to leap to another tree found themselves unlucky if that tree also fell. Hunters who hit the ground were trampled by the buffalo's march.

Three Hunters, who were lucky enough to stay on trees that didn't break, breathed a sigh of relief. Though they pitied their fallen comrades, they were just glad to be alive.

"Weren't these things supposed to live deep in the Demonic Realm? Why are they here...?"

"Think about that later. Let's get out of here. We need to warn the Tumen River guards and get out."

"Damn it! I lent Duchil money for gear."

"Seriously? Is that important to you right now?"

"It was a lot!"

"How much?"

Even amid the chaos, a Hunter was curious about the debt but got no reply. Instead, a strange cry rang out. When the curious Hunter turned, a massive hand grabbed his face.

'A Human-Faced Monkey!'

This monster had the creepy habit of tearing off human faces and wearing them. It tore off not just the Hunter's comrade's face, and then even grabbed the Hunter's. The Hunter quickly swung his ax at the monster's arm. Green blood splattered. The ax cut through red muscle, showing yellow bone, but it didn't cut through.

'Damn it! I didn't channel my mana right.'

In that hurry, he made a mistake, and in that instant, he lost his life.

Crunch!

The Hunter's skull was crushed. The last remaining party member leaped up, swinging his greatsword. His mana-powered blade split the monster's head. But...

"Gasp!"

Another monster from a nearby tree pounced. The Hunter swung his sword again, slicing the monkey in half.

"How does that taste, you damn monkey...?"

He couldn't finish his insult. He felt a cold hand grab his head.

Snap!

Blood dripped from his dangling feet.

The noisy forest suddenly fell silent.

Kang Mu-hyuk checked his phone as he left the chairman's hospital room. It had been buzzing with messages during his meeting.

<Guild Leader Kang. What's going on? I saw an article about the Taesung Machinery merger.>

<Guild Leader Kang. Contact me.>

<Guild Leader Kang. No backdoor listing? What the hell is happening? Are you breaking our deal?>

<Guild Leader Kang. Are you ignoring my texts?>

<Oi. You can't do this.>

The texts were from Tae Suman.

"He didn't care the least bit when he heard his father collapsed, but he's quick to reach out when money's on the line. What a family!"

Chairman Tae Jinsung's health leave was officially due to overwork, not assassination threats. Other family members had inquired about his condition, but it wasn't out of concern. They were prepping for the inheritance battle that would start the moment he passed.

After confirming Tae Jinsung's safety, the family members all tried to visit him in the hospital, but he sent every single one away. With Tae Jinsung effectively in hiding, his children were on high alert, closely monitoring his condition.

Meanwhile, news about Taesung Machinery reached Tae Suman, understandably making him anxious.

Kang Mu-hyuk wanted to ignore him but decided Tae Suman was still useful, so he called.

"You finally decided to call me. How kind of you!"

"I just finished meeting the chairman."

"What?! The chairman? Why?"

"It's nothing major. I'm also hospitalized here, so he wanted to see me."

"A man who fainted wants to see you? And you just happen to be in the hospital too? Do you think I'm that gullible? At least make up a believable story."

"If you don't believe me, there's nothing more to say. We need trust to talk. I'll hang up now."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Are you serious?"

"You said you don't believe me."

"If I were in your shoes... fine. I'll believe you."

"I'm glad we're rebuilding trust. Aren't you happy too?"

Teeth grinding could be heard through the phone, but Kang Mu-hyuk continued, "Whatever I discussed with the chairman, this much is true: Guild Leader Ju Se-ah will never become the group chairman. I ensured that."

"You want me to believe everything you say?"

"If you don't, there's no need for this call..."

"Fine, I'll believe you. What else did the chairman say? What about Taesung Machinery?"

"He didn't say much, but he knows about Taesung Machinery."

"So he knows I secretly secured shares?"

"No, he only knows about the Hanju deal."

"Thank God."

"Still, stay low for now. The atmosphere is tense."

"Tense? Why?"

"That's something you'll need to figure out on your own. I need to be careful too because I don't know where the blowback will hit next."

"Wait, that means you know something..."

"I'm hanging up now. I'm busy, you see."

Kang Mu-hyuk ended the call without listening any more.

Tae Suman called back immediately, but he didn't answer. Tae Suman also sent persistent texts, which he ignored. Only when he was driving out of the underground parking lot did the messages stop.

"He should start gathering information now. Whether he bribes guards or whatever, he'll find out about the chairman's situation. I've cast the bait, now I just wait for the fish to bite."

Kang Mu-hyuk wanted Tae Suman and the other children to naturally learn about the assassination attempt on Tae Jinsung.

"And they'll start suspecting each other."

They'd quickly figure out who benefits most from the chairman's disappearance. Tae Suman alone wouldn't stand a chance.

'An anti-Tae Suman faction will form. I'll buy time and work on my plans while they fight.'

Park Cheol-i leaned against the corner wall of an empty room, staring blankly at the ceiling all day. His butt hurt on the hard floor, and every time he shifted, his left sleeve fluttered in the air.

Several friends visited, but he didn't show his face. He didn't want to see anyone. He couldn't see the person he wanted to see the most anymore.

Click! Click!

The locked doorknob shook, then the door burst open with a crash.

"Hey, kid. Why are you locking yourself in here? I heard you're not even eating the meals the neighbor lady brings you."

"Mr.... No?"

"Mr. No? What's that? Just call me uncle or bro. Uncle No Song-rin? That's weird. Maybe that's why foreigners just use names. It's too complicated here."

"I'll just call you uncle."

"Whatever makes you comfortable."

When Park Cheol-i stopped talking, the conversation ended. No Song-rin just stared at the kid, making him uncomfortable until he finally spoke.

"So, why are you here?"

"That kid, Gilyoung said you haven't left the house since you were discharged. Is it because your arm hurts?"

"No, it doesn't hurt anymore. And this isn't our house; ours burned down."

"Roof plus walls is a house. This place looks better than your old one. Even if it was taken from Chinese people, Hunters lived here, so it's clean inside. You're lucky."

"It's just temporary."

"Temporary or not, it's your house for now."

"So?"

"What do you mean so? We stick to the contract."

"Contract?"

No Song-rin pulled out a piece of paper. It was labeled as contract in messy writing, signed by both him and Park Cheol-i. Seeing the contract made Park Cheol-i burst into tears.

"Hey, don't cry... Haaa, forget it. Cry all you want. Cry. Kids cry."

No Song-rin placed the contract in front of the boy, who crawled over and hugged it, sobbing.

"Dad... h-heugh, haa, heugh..."

No Song-rin realized why he was crying.

'Come to think of it, his dad taught him about contracts, right?'

Park Cheol-i grew up in a single-parent household. His mother passed away due to frailty after giving birth to him. Recently, he lost his father in a battle with Chinese Hunters. On top of that, he lost one of his arms, which must have been extremely tough for a child not yet ten years old, both mentally and physically.

No Song-rin thought of his own childhood, losing his family during the war and living alone. If he hadn't become a Hunter as a teen, he might have died as a vagrant.

'At least this kid has someone to look after him. But who had it worse, him or me?'

Not good with words, No Song-rin didn't try to comfort him. He just moved closer and let Park Cheol-i cry into his coat. The coat got soaked with tears and snot, but he didn't mind.

After a while, the crying subsided.

"Sorry, uncle. I soaked your coat."

"Kid, this is expensive. The Guild Master will scold me."

"A-A lot?"

"But it's waterproof, so it's fine."

"Phew..."

"Are you done crying?"

"Yeah, but I might cry again. It keeps happening."

"Try to do it when I'm not around. I hate... Seeing kids cry."

"Oh? Okay."

"Just don't cry too much. I lost my parents when I was young too. Cried a lot, but it didn't solve anything. Food didn't fall from the sky, and the cold didn't go away. So don't cry too much."

"Okay."

Silence fell again.

No Song-rin suddenly remembered.

"Oh, right. The contract."

"Huh?"

He made a call.

A short while later, the doorbell rang. People entered, carrying boxes.

"Where should we put these?"

"Anywhere by the wall."

They started stacking boxes. Soon, the living room was filled with boxes, leaving only a narrow path. More boxes came in, filling the bedrooms and balcony, then the room where Park Cheol-i was.

With no space left, they were told to leave boxes in the hallway.

"What is all this?"

"The contract. Snacks. To fill your house."

No Song-rin opened a box, spilling snacks onto the floor. Crackers, chocolates, and more. It was a mountain of snacks.

"I fulfilled the contract. Share with your friends. Gilyoung and the others were worried about you."

"Uncle..."

Without looking back, No Song-rin left.

"See you around."

Park Cheol-i followed him.

"Uncle!"

Feeling a tickle at the back of his head, No Song-rin resisted the urge to look back and jumped out the window. The fifth floor was nothing to him.

Hanging from the hallway window, Park Cheol-i shouted, "See you again!"

No Song-rin awkwardly waved and left.

"This was so unlike me."

That evening...

"This mission suits you the best, Hunter No Song-rin."

Kang Mu-hyuk's words left No Song-rin speechless.

Why was he giving this dang mission to me?

"Damn it. Should I go back to Kim Myung-jun?"