Chapter 107

Jihan Kim approached her. It was after the blood that had been pouring like rain had stopped. Jihan Kim strode forward and grabbed Cho-i Hyeon’s shoulder tightly.

“You’re not an S-Rank, are you?”

“I am an S-Rank, though?”

“This is crazy. Do you think it makes sense for an S-Rank to defeat an S-Rank boss monster in one blow?”

“There’s a special reason for it. A special reason.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a secret.”

Cho-i Hyeon gave a brazen wink. Jihan Kim chuckled in disbelief. He knew very well that there was no reason for Cho-i to reveal her secrets. Of course, what fool would just give away their business capital to others?

‘She’s hiding her identity or…’

Jihan Kim tapped his chin.

‘She has an SS-Rank skill.’

Either way, it wouldn’t be good for Geumsin. Only for Paehyeok.

‘If I had known this, I would have offered better terms then…!’

When Cho-i Hyeon first appeared, Geumsin had subtly offered her terms. But it was merely a casual attempt, and he didn’t expect her to switch from Paehyeok, so the terms were mediocre.

‘It’s a problem now that I really want her…’

While Jihan Kim was thinking that, Cho-i was examining the items from the dead monster.

“None!”

“What?”

“Nine Lives of Myoyeong?”

“That’s not something that comes out easily, is it?”

“Aww.”

Cho-i Hyeon scratched her cheek. Then, the only option left was to enter a hidden dungeon.

‘That’s not an easy task either.’

She had to find two more dungeons that spoke the same language, and if the item still didn’t appear after meeting those conditions, she’d have to figure out other requirements.

Cho-i thought calmly. The words that it only appears if the dungeons have a certain compatibility. Zhixuan’s story suddenly crossed her mind.

“Then should I go to a dungeon with a cat?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Hmm, nothing.”

Cho-i Hyeon looked around. She had to find traces that could be called the language of this place. The exit to the outside had just opened, but there was still some time.

“I’m going to go look for something for a bit!”

With that, Cho-i pushed off the ground and vanished in the distance. There was no time to stop her. How could she disappear and reappear like that? Jihan Kim looked in the direction Cho-i Hyeon had vanished and said,

“Let’s pack up the items and head out. It’s a bit disappointing that Nine Lives of Myoyeong didn’t drop. It’s been a while since we cleared a dungeon so comfortably.”

“Yes.”

“Yes…”

“Why have you been so down in the dumps since earlier? And picking fights with Hunter Cho-i Hyeon. Isn’t this your first time seeing her?”

“That’s right.”

“Why are you being so irritable instead of trying to get along? If you’re going to be King, try to be friendly and reel her in.”

“No.”

“Oh dear. You can rebel now, Yuri Ja, you’ve grown up so much?”

Yuri Ja grumbled and shut her mouth. Jihan Kim shrugged and packed the items, and Seoyeon Ha helped her. Only Yuri Ja stood with her arms crossed, pouting, staring in the direction Cho-i Hyeon had disappeared.

‘I don’t like that the Guild Master cares about her.’

From the moment Hunter Cho-i Hyeon burst in unannounced, I didn’t like it. But I also felt a little annoyed with the Guild Master for hastily calling up and listening to the story of someone who rudely showed up without warning. Still, I didn’t want to displease the Guild Master. Because to Yuri Ja, Jihan Kim was her entire world.

“I hope she doesn’t make it out.”

He grumbled and followed Jihan Kim and Seoyeon Ha as they exited. The three of them went outside the dungeon, leaving only Cho-i alone inside. Cho-i was frantically searching for something resembling letters, wandering around.

“Is this it?”

And between the sharply pointed houses, she found what looked like brush-drawn letters on a wall. They looked like scribbles crawling around, but if she had to find something resembling letters, this was all there was.

“I can’t read it….” ‘Of course, you can’t read it; it’s from another world.’ “Then how can I read the Mantis’s writing?” ‘Because you inherited our Legacy.’ “So, if I get a hidden item, it’s considered that I’ve inherited that world’s Legacy, and then I can decipher that world’s writing?” ‘Exactly.’ “Damn it, why are you only telling me this now, XX…. No, I kind of figured it out already anyway.”

Cho-i Hyeon peered closely at the wall, memorizing the letters. Now she needed to find two dungeons that used the same language. Geumsin would probably take care of this. After all, if they wanted to enter the hidden dungeon, they would have to follow her instructions.

“Alright, shall we head out?” ‘What about eating?’ “Damn it.”

Cho-i trudged back to the boss monster she had killed. The others seemed to have already gone outside the dungeon; they were nowhere to be seen. That was good for Cho-i Hyeon.

“Hmm.”

Cho-i Hyeon squatted in front of the monster’s carcass, looking at the chunks of flesh scattered on the ground. The bright red meat looked very fresh. Cho-i Hyeon blinked a few times, staring for a long while, then reached out her hand. She grabbed a handful of monster meat and put it into her mouth. Munch, munch, munch. There was the sound of her chewing the raw, blood-soaked meat. Cho-i Hyeon rolled the meat around in her mouth, chewing it. Her expression changed moment by moment. Hmm, this, doesn’t, seem, to, taste, good. Gulp.

“Ugh, it’s terrible.”

Cho-i Hyeon said, throwing the remaining flesh on the ground.

“Ah, let’s go now.” ‘No.’ “What? Hey, you…!”

Suddenly, Cho-i Hyeon’s body fell backward. Then, with a thud, as Cho-i braced her feet behind her, her eyes rolled back, showing only white.

“I can’t let this rare meal get away.”

The rough voice of ‘the Entity’ was heard.

***

Cho-i Hyeon emerged from the dungeon about 20 minutes later. She kept smacking her lips due to the lingering metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Hmm, when will this go away? While Cho-i Hyeon was feeling uneasy, Jihan Kim, who had been waiting outside, approached and spoke to her.

“What did you do in there that you keep smacking your lips?”

“I ate something.”

“What…?”

As Jihan Kim asked with a subtle expression, Cho-i grinned and replied,

“You’ll get hurt if you know.”

“Alright then. I don’t particularly want to know. Do you have such a hobby?”

“It just happened.”

“You always say ‘it just happened’.”

“It really did all just happen this way.”

“So, are you going to tell me now? The minimum requirements to enter a hidden dungeon.”

“Ah.”

Cho-i Hyeon raised a finger.

“You need to clear at least three dungeons in a row that use the same language.”

“Same language?”

“I think it just means similar dungeons.”

“Only the Entity?”

Cho-i shook her head.

“That’s literally just the minimum requirement I found out. I actually succeeded in entering the same hidden dungeon. But since I don’t know the other conditions yet, I’m just exploring aimlessly for now.”

“Hmm, is it true that you entered the same hidden dungeon?”

“I swear on Taehyeok Sa.”

“It seems like Guild Master Sataehyeok is an easy target for you.”

“You caught me.”

“Anyway, I’ll believe you. Finding similar dungeons isn’t difficult.”

“Good.”

“I’ll contact you as soon as I find a dungeon.”

“No, now.”

“Huh?”

“Find it now.”

Cho-i Hyeon’s eyes gleamed.

“I’m in a hurry.”

“W-what?”

“I have to meet Taehyeok Sa this Saturday.”

“What’s special about this Saturday?”

“His memorial day.”

“…Are you really going to kill Taehyeok Sa?”

“Of course I’m really going to kill him, is there a fake way to kill someone?”

“Wow, I wonder if I should even be hearing this here.”

“Why, do you think you’ll get arrested?”

“Uh, it feels a bit like I’m complicit in murder.”

“Oh, so there are people who would consider him human.”

“That’s a bit too much for Taehyeok Sa.”

“I’m serious.”

Cho-i Hyeon hummed a tune. Jihan Kim sighed deeply and nodded.

“Then I’ll look into it right away. Please wait a moment.”

Jihan Kim immediately took out his smartphone and started making a call. He then walked a few steps away, talking to someone. It seemed he was giving instructions to his secretaries. Cho-i Hyeon was humming to herself when suddenly someone approached. It was Yuri Ja.

“Hey.”

“Hey? There are many ways for a person to die. One is getting struck by lightning, and another is some jerk talking down to me without warning.”

Cho-i Hyeon said that and reached out to Yuri Ja. And Yuri Ja grabbed her wrist tightly. A fierce stare-down ensued between the two. Of course. Bang!

“Ack!”

It ended with Cho-i Hyeon kicking Yuri Ja in the shin with her foot instead of the hand she had grabbed. Yuri Ja rolled on the floor. Her shin bone was probably broken.

“Oh, right, I forgot to turn off my skill.”

By the time Cho-i Hyeon realized it, Yuri Ja’s shin bone was already broken. Jihan Kim, who had been on the phone, rushed over and checked on Yuri Ja.

“What in the world are you doing?!”

“They picked a fight first.”

“Even if they picked a fight, you just break their leg like that?”

“I didn’t know it would break. If I knew they were this weak, I wouldn’t have kicked them.”

“What?”

Yuri Ja, holding her leg, glared at Cho-i Hyeon. Cho-i chuckled and raised her middle finger. Jihan Kim waved his hand, as if he had a headache.

“Stop it, both of you stop. Why are you two growling at each other like this! Hunter Cho-i Hyeon! Even if he provoked you, breaking his leg was too much! And you, Yuri Ja! Didn’t I tell you not to provoke Hunter Cho-i Hyeon!”

“But Guild Master…!”

“But what is ‘but’ about! I told you. He’s an opponent you can’t beat!”

“B-but…”

I saw Yuri Ja shrink immediately. Cho-i Hyeon was grinning, amused by the situation, and Seoyeon Ha belatedly ran over and cast a healing skill. Fortunately, Yuri Ja’s leg mended quickly, allowing him to stand up soon. Cho-i Hyeon crossed his arms and said to Yuri Ja with an indifferent expression,

“I understand why you’re provoking me, but I’m not the type to tolerate much. Don’t push it. Don’t be annoying.”

“……”

Yuri Ja growled lowly without a word. Oh, should I really slit his throat? Cho-i Hyeon smiled and tilted his head, but Jihan Kim, sensing something strange, stepped between them.

“Let’s stop now. All right? We’ve found the dungeon right away, after all.”

Cho-i Hyeon decided to back down for now since the dungeon was urgent. So he nodded and uncrossed his arms.

“Okay. So, what did they say?”

“Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to find. However, one is in Korea…”

“Then the other one?”

“It’s overseas.”

“Where overseas?”

Jihan Kim said,

“Japan.”