Chapter 98

"No..."

"Anyway."

Soram clapped his hands as if to change the atmosphere.

"It's a bit much for me to just list my demands verbally and leave. On the contrary, if things are resolved well, I might be able to mention Director-nim's name in a good way. Something like, it was thanks to the quick decision and support of the director of the Capital Defense Supply Depot that provided the decisive help. To that extent, well... it would generate a certain level of buzz, and considering the public sentiment, it wouldn't be a problem to push aside one or two higher-ups."

"...!"

The director's eyes widened similarly to when Soram had suddenly appeared. His position was such that unless he achieved a feat that would at least be reported in the news, his promotion process would inevitably be sluggish, and that was also the reason he had to attend the dinner appointment tonight.

Even though a scoffing breath flowed out from between Soram's lips, the director didn't notice it at the moment. Soram got up from the sofa he had been leaning on.

"Then please handle it well. Let's have a win-win situation."

"..."

In the end, everything had turned out as he intended. It was infuriating, but there was nothing more to refute and no intention to overturn this deal. However, to assert his last bit of pride, the director said,

"Alright. We'll proceed with the deal like that, but Chief Jin. Next time we meet, I hope you'll at least show proper courtesy to your superiors. My position in the military is equivalent to a colonel."

"Huh?"

Soram, who had been pushing his claim with a chilly attitude, this time tilted his head innocently.

"Director-nim, you're not my superior. I'm exempted from military service and haven't served."

Well, whatever. Leaning his body back towards the wide-open window, Soram placed the edge of his hand on his forehead.

"Loyalty?"

As Soram moved away while saluting, his wrist was bent like a goose's neck. Anyone could see that he hadn't served in the military.

* * *

The thoughts that come to mind during weekday work hours would be similar regardless of occupation. That was the same for Chief Lee Gyeong-in, the youngest member of Team 1 at the Busan Branch... or maybe not, as he wasn't sure if he had escaped that fate.

He was driving up a mountain road with his junior, an 8-year intern, in the passenger seat. The number of times the two of them had gone out on dispatch together like a combo had already exceeded five. Soram, who spent his days with a bothersome face, would often accompany Lee Gyeong-in's dispatches without much complaint.

Just when he thought he had adapted to it, he would still flinch, thinking, 'Jin Soram? The real Jin Soram is next to me?' On the other hand,

"Chief Lee. Look at this."

The screen Soram showed had a dog lying on its back like a person, sleeping.

"Isn't it super cute?"

"Wow, yes. Can you send it to me?"

"I was going to keep it to myself, but I'll send it to you specially."

Soon after, a message notification rang from the person saved as 'Chief Jin Soram.' ...Seeing things like this made him think that Chief Jin Soram was just the same as everyone else.

The car shook with a thud as it stepped on a rock on the unpaved road. The dispatch location given to the two today was a rift that had appeared on a rough mountainside. Soram, holding the handle, dropped his shoulders with a sigh.

"Sigh. In the end, since I can't be used as an instructor, I'm being exploited like this."

"Hahaha. Still, isn't going out on dispatch better than being trapped underground?"

"That's true. The air is nice, and the sea is beautiful."

Next to the mountain road, the blue sea of the morning was spread out. A white yacht, either for personal use or a tourist product, was leisurely floating on it, and Soram blankly stared at the sight with the tip of his nose pressed against the window.

It had already been two weeks since this absurd newbie had come to Team 1 of the Busan Branch's dispatch department. Soram was a quirky but pleasant person. Above all, although he tended to be somewhat blunt to his superiors, he had been playful and kind to him ever since he came to the Busan Branch.

"Chief Lee, you must be working hard too. You trained in the morning before coming, right?"

"Ah, yes. Our team members take turns training every other day, it's mandatory."

"Only Team 1? It didn't seem to be that strict for other teams."

Of course, Soram ran away at the mere mention of the word 'training.' Lee Gyeong-in laughed, agreeing with his words, but this time, his smile was definitely lukewarm.

"The director always emphasizes that we are the vanguard and other team members come after seeing our backs. The atmosphere does differ a bit for each team, following their chief."

Lee Gyeong-in, who awakened at the age of 21, made the judgment that it would be better to live as a promising hunter rather than continuing his studies that he had been attending just to meet the grades. After that, he stamped his decision to become a hunter under the Busan Branch. In fact, he gained some popularity and could receive a considerable salary, allowances, and pension guarantee.

However, sometimes, no, almost every day, he thought that if he were to live as a hunter, he wanted to join Teams 2, 3, or 4, not Team 1. Among them, Team 2 would be the best, but of course, Teams 3 and 4 were also good. As long as it wasn't Team 1. Because Team 1 was really... too, too, too hard, to the point where it had a bad reputation even among other teams.

"Although there are inevitable aspects due to the organizational characteristics of using the body and weapons, the director, well, how should I put it? He has a deep attachment to the Busan Branch, and he expresses it by unreasonably raising the combat power of Team 1..."

That's why the actions of Soram, who teased and tricked the director in various ways, were honestly very refreshing. Soram nodded.

"He does have a somewhat belligerent side. It sometimes manifests as stubbornness or excessive dogmatism."

"That's right! Ah, my voice was too loud."

Chief Lee Gyeong-in muttered with a frown.

"Still, the director is still in his 30s, but he's a perfect example of a young stubborn old man."

"What? Old man? Even if you can curse the king when he's not around..."

Soram suddenly turned serious. ...Can only chiefs curse other chiefs? When he felt a pang, Soram put his hands on his waist and snorted.

"I didn't know there was someone else who was as good at cursing their boss as me! In the headquarters, the director of the Reconnaissance Bureau is a real stubborn old man. Whenever I do something, he only catches me, saying things like being a member of the organization or following principles. The number of written apologies I've given him would be hundreds. Is he senile at that age? Whew, I wonder if that guy will ever be transferred somewhere else."

"Ah, I didn't curse that much. We're not similar."

Lee Gyeong-in shook his head from side to side. And then laughter burst out.

What cut the friendly atmosphere between the two was an urgently ringing pager.

"This is Chief Lee Gyeong-in of Team 1. ...What?"

The smile on his face completely disappeared at the next words he heard.

"It's already become a dungeon? So soon? Didn't you say there were no such signs? Yes. I'm accompanied by Chief Jin Soram."

The eyes staring straight ahead widened and blinked.

"Level 3 flood dungeon... Toxic gas. Gasp... Yes, I understand."

Lee Gyeong-in gripped the steering wheel with both hands and put strength into his foot on the accelerator.

"Chief-nim, I think we need to hurry!"

"No."

The passenger window went down completely with a whir. Soram held onto the car body and pulled his body out. His brown bangs fluttered in the wind.

"I'll go ahead and take a look. Before arriving at the scene, make sure to thoroughly cover your face, hands, and any exposed skin on your clothes."

Soram flew into the dense trees where there was no path before even hearing a response. A trace of blue mist was left in that spot and then disappeared.

Although he seemed like a frivolous person, moments like this strongly made one realize that he was 'a chief is a chief.'

Unnatural yellow smoke rose from between the trees. As he flew in that direction, he saw a temporary barricade hastily set up to block the toxic gas and a few people wearing gas masks and chemical suits moving a short distance away.

Tap.

Soram landed on the barricade blocking the smoke. Beyond that, it was filled with yellow smoke, and even the sight right in front was not visible.

"Huh? That person?"

Metal planes flew out of Soram's suit inner pocket. The reaction of those who were puzzled by the sudden appearance of a person changed to "Oh! It's him!" upon seeing the metal planes appearing in a line in the air.

Swish―

Five planes that quickly rushed forward disappeared beyond the smoke. Soram covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve and drew the sword at his waist with his other hand.

Clang! Thud, thud.

Two of the planes Soram had sent out were stuck in the rift, and the remaining three stopped in the air without reaching the rift. Confirming the rift's location through the position where the planes were stuck, Soram pulled back the shoulder on the side holding the sword handle.

"Hup!"

Then he threw the sword in that direction with a swish. It was a technique he had applied after seeing Ayoung before.

Swish―

Kang!!!

The sword that rushed towards the rift flew through the yellow smoke, creating a path, and plunged deeply into the rift.

Creak, creak, crea-...

The black crack that received a strong impact vibrated roughly. Soram slowly lowered his clenched fist from top to bottom with his eyes narrowed. In sync with that movement, the sword that had penetrated about a span into the rift came down, scratching the surface while enveloped in blue mist.

Screeeech!

As the size of the rift gradually decreased, the smoke thickened as if making a final struggle. However, the planes that flew in again were not affected by the toxic gas at all and attacked the rift. For this type of dungeon, a hunter who could attack from a distance was the worst opponent.

At the end of the relentless attacks, the rift finally disappeared, and the sound of the deeply embedded sword and planes falling to the ground was heard. Hearing that sound, Soram jumped down from the barricade. Just in time, a car urgently arrived at the scene.

"Chief Jin-nim!"

Chief Lee Gyeong-in, who had covered his eyes with a towel, hurriedly got out of the car with a towel for Soram. Where is Chief-nim? As he was looking around, a brown head of hair popped up from above the barricade.

"I'm here."

"Gasp, what are you doing there?"

"I got rid of the rift. But the toxic gas hasn't disappeared yet, so come in slowly."

"What about you, Chief Jin-nim?"

"I'm fine for a short while."

Soram, who had come down from the barricade again, headed towards the spot where the rift had been, checking the dissipating smoke.

"Oh?"

Soram's gaze turned to the ground. He waved his hands to disperse the surrounding smoke. He hadn't seen it wrong. Next to the fallen sword, a red stone the size of a palm was shining. The flood dungeon had disappeared, leaving behind a magic stone.