Chapter 21: I Came to Deliver Good Ne... (1)

At the Shine Guild's top floor, Lee Yeon-Hwa could be seen looking affectionately at Kim Ji-Hee, who was currently cuddling a stuffed rabbit and nibbling on the cookies like a rabbit herself.

"So cute."

Sensing Lee Yeon-Hwa's gaze or perhaps her muttering, Kim Ji-Hee raised her head and looked back at Lee Yeon-Hwa, flashing a smile anyone would acknowledge as adorable.

"

Hehehe.

"

"Here, drink some milk as well."

"Yeeess."

Ji-Hee drank the milk from the mug with a bashful smile and resumed nibbling on the chocolate cookie.

"A daughter..."

"

Ahmm.

" Hearing Lee Yeon-Hwa's muttering, Cha Min-Sung cleared his throat and turned his gaze to Kim Ki-Rok. "Hunter Kim Ki-Rok."

"Yes." Kim Ki-Rok responded.

"Do you need anything?"

"Do I need anything?"

"Yes."

"Well, I do have a few things I need, but what I need right now is the Shine Guild's assistance."

It was evident that he had come here with certain intentions. Chairman Cha Min-Sung of Il-Sung Corporation slightly licked his lips.

Kim Ki-Rok chuckled. "Would you mind donating a few electronic devices for us to put in our guild dormitory?" He said, saving face for Cha Min-Sung.

"Oh? Is that all you need?"

"That will be sufficient. Or perhaps an artifact?"

Cha Min-Sung stared at Kim Ki-Rok and thought,

He's not lying.

Rising to the top of a major corporation at a young age, he had met many people and had been through various experiences. Therefore, he prided himself on having a good eye for people.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Understood. Should I send it to the DG Guild?"

"Oh, and..."

"You need something else?"

In response to Cha Min-Sung's question, Kim Ki-Rok raised his hand above Kim Ji-Hee's head. "I'll ask for something this child can use as well."

"

Ha... haha.

Understood. Electronics, artifacts, and children's supplies. Alright, I'll keep those in mind."

"Thank you. Then, going back to the main topic." Kim Ki-Rok turned his gaze from Lee Yeon-Hwa, who was looking at Kim Ji-Hee with hearts for eyes. "Guildmaster Lee Yeon-Hwa."

"Yes, Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok."

"I have come to receive the promised reward."

After the operation meeting on June 15, Kim Ki-Rok demanded a "small" reward from her, the details of which had been somewhat agreed upon. That was why Lee Yeon-Hwa immediately looked at Kang Woo-Hyuk, the man standing behind the sofa where Kim Ki-Rok was sitting.

"Is that young man the craftsman?" Lee Yeon-Hwa asked.

"Yes. I recruited him yesterday."

"What...?"

"Yesterday."

"Ah, right. Discernment." Lee Yeon-Hwa understood.

"That's right, Discernment. And one more thing..." Kim Ki-Rok stopped halfway and sat Ji-Hee on his lap. "Eat, eat. Isn't it delicious?"

"Yeeess."

"Have a sip of milk too. There we go."

"

Hehehe.

"

Ji-Hee chuckled and nibbled on the cookie while Kim Ki-Rok returned to the conversation. "I have come here to deliver some good news."

"Good... news?"

Why did a certain image come to mind... one of gentlemen dressed in black, carrying books and knocking on doors?

"No. Good information. Just a moment." Kim Ki-Rok took a notebook and pen from his subspace pocket, quickly wrote down something, and handed it to Lee Yeon-Hwa.

He looked like someone engaging in illegal transactions. However, Lee Yeon-Hwa casually accepted Kim Ki-Rok's paper and checked its contents as if nothing was amiss.

Gate: ???

Level: ???

Reward: None

Hidden Reward 1: Power Gauntlet (Strength +5, Vitality +5)

Hidden Reward 2: Colossal Body

Skill: Colossal Body (D to S-Class)

Description: Enhances physical abilities

Effect 1: Vitality increased by 50%, Strength increased by 50%

Duration: 10 seconds

Cooldown: 1 hour

"

Huh?

" Lee Yeon-Hwa raised her head and looked at Kim Ki-Rok.

"You've heard about people who seal their skills because they require excessive Strength and Vitality attributes?"

She had heard of this, as there were those who had awakened skills requiring high attributes and came with severe side effects.

"What... do you mean?"

"I know everything.

Hahaha!

You seem to keep forgetting, but my Discernment skill can identify others' names, abilities, and talents." Kim Ki-Rok laughed.

"I see." Lee Yeon-Hwa nodded affirmatively at the words.

There was no point in hiding it. Kang Ho, standing behind Lee Yeon-Hwa, also confirmed the contents of the note that Lee Yeon-Hwa had seen.

"This means..."

After seeing that Kang Ho had read the note, Kim Ki-Rok smiled broadly.

"Who should I make the deal with?"

Should he make a deal with Guildmaster Lee Yeon-Hwa or Awakened Kang Ho, who was suffering from the side effects?

***

Kang Woo-Hyuk remained at Shine Guild. He would only have a week if everything went according to schedule. Even taking the time to eat and sleep felt like a waste.

"Then, Hunter Yoo Dong-Kwon. I'll be taking my leave now."

Holding Kim Ji-Hee's hand, Kim Ki-Rok left Shine Guild and headed toward the main road instead of the parking lot to use public transportation. This was all to help Kim Ji-Hee adapt to society. The key to the car that they had taken here was handed over to Kang Woo-Hyuk.

"Ji-Hee."

"Yeeess."

"Should we take the subway or the bus?"

"Subway!"

Having already ridden in the car a few times, Kim Ji-Hee was instead curious about the subway. Fortunately, Shine Guild was just a short distance from the subway station.

"As expected, places close to subway stations are the best."

Kim Ji-Hee happily descending the stairs and looked up at Kim Ki-Rok. "Mister."

"Yes?"

"Are we going home?"

"No. We have to go to the department store first, and then meet some fun unnies and oppas[1]."

"Fun..."

"Yes. Fun unnies and oppas."

Kim Ji-Hee titled her head curiously, wondering what kind of people they would be and what they would look like.

"Where are the unnies and oppas?"

"Mapo District."

***

"There's something called an unofficial grade." Kim Ki-Rok explained.

"Unofficial?" Kim Ji-Hee said.

"Let's see, E-Class... No, D-Class would be a more accurate description. Do you remember how I told you that D-Class Hunters were a given to Hunters from Level 21 to 40?"

"Yeees."

"But there's something called an unofficial grade."

Levels 21–29 were considered D-Class, and levels 30–39 were D+.

"Simply put, it's about adding a minus or plus depending on the first digit of your level." Kim Ki-Rok continued his explanation.

"Adding and subtracting?"

Kim Ki-Rok gently stroked Kim Ji-Hee's head. "That's right."

Seeing that she was smaller and thinner than other kids her age, Kim Ki-Rok took out a red bean bun from the subspace pocket and offered it.

"Bun!"

"Yes, a delicious bun."

"Dinner?"

"No. Dinner is at home... Actually, we'll be eating with the hyungs and noonas. So, this is a snack."

"Snack.

Phew.

" With a sigh of relief, Kim Ji-Hee started to nibble on the bun.

In front of Seoul World Cup Stadium was a giant opening of a Gate, standing tall and proud as if it was a symbol of something.

Kim Ji-Hee trembled as if the taste of the red bean buns had dramatically moved her. "Y-yummy... Mister, mister."

"Yes?"

"This is... bread?"

It wasn't the first time she tried bread, but the bread she ate now was unbelievably soft and sweet compared to anything she had eaten.

"Yes. This is what real bread is like. Everything Kim Ji-Hee has eaten before was fake bread."

"Real... bread."

It was bread made by a famous baker, not bread nearing its expiration date or caked with dust from the floor.

"Ji-Hee."

"Yeeess?"

"Let's continue to eat yummy things in the future."

"Yum! Yummy... things..."

"Yes, yummy things."

"Yeeess!" she brightly responded.

Kim Ki-Rok patted her back and headed toward the Gate. Kim Ji-Hee didn't let a single crumb go to waste, shoving everything into her mouth. With her cheeks puffed up, she looked happier than ever.

"Oh, right."

"Hmm?" Kim Ji-Hee said, her mouth full of the red bean bun.

"Our Ji-Hee is seven years old."

"Seven years old?"

"Yes. But six according to western age."

"Six? Seven?"

"Seven years old. Your birthday is on June 18th."

"June 18th, my birthday."

Although the experiments may have damaged her body and slightly impaired her senses, her mind remained intact. She may not have known about many things after being confined for a long time, but she was still a clever child.

"Ji-Hee is seven years old, and your birthday is June 18th." Kim Ki-Rok reiterated.

When Kim Ki-Rok took a banana milk carton from his subspace pocket, Kim Ji-Hee eagerly grabbed it.

"Our house is DG Guild," she said.

"You're right. Our house is DG Guild. That's what you say when people ask. Got it?"

"Yeeess."

She now had a name and a birthday. Kim Ji-Hee hugged Kim Ki-Rok's neck as if she was clinging on to the happiness so it wouldn't fly away.

"Let's see, let's see." Kim Ki-Rok said, almost melodiously.

Kim Ji-Hee giggled and mimicked him. "Let's see, let's see."

Kim Ki-Rok looked around the Gate. The Hunters were sitting around, taking a break. Merchants targeted those Hunters, and scout teams manipulated their tablet computers or made calls while observing the resting Hunters. There were so many different people that no one paid attention, even though Kim Ki-Rok was holding a child.

Kim Ki-Rok slowly approached the entrance of the Gate, taking a step forward.

"Three."

He took another step.

"Two."

And another.

"One."

As Kim Ki-Rok counted down, five men and women jumped out of the Gate.

"

Arrrgh!

Why would you run at the monster as a tank?"

"Because it was charging at us! I thought running forward would make it stop!"

"You should have dodged it! Ignorant fool!"

A woman with a longsword and a man holding a giant shield were fighting.

"Are you tired, Ji-Ah?"

"Shut up. If you try to use that silver tongue of yours one more time, I'll make sure it gets cut."

The man with a broken bow bowed deeply at the words of the woman holding a staff.

"

Phew.

I'm hungry."

The giant man with a massive hammer murmured as he rubbed his stomach.

"

Ha!

As expected, a massive mess." Kim Ki-Rok exclaimed.

It was just as he had hoped.

"If you charge one more time, I'll kill you my... Oh, huh?" The woman with the longsword trailed off as she saw the man with a girl in his arms.

The man with a shield who was about to shout, the staff-wielding woman catching her breath, and the archer eyeing her while waiting for the perfect opportunity—all froze in their tracks.

"I feel like having chicken today." The giant Hunter said.

"Chicken!" Kim Ji-Hee shouted, her eyes opened wide.

The Hunter with the hammer looked at Kim Ji-Hee. She also looked at the giant Hunter with the hammer with shining eyes.

"Boneless chicken." The giant Hunter continued.

"Ohh." Kim Ji-Hee chimed.

"Soy sauce chicken."

"Ohhh!"

"Half boneless, half soy sauce seasoning?"

"Ohhhh!"

1. Korean terms of endearment used by females to address older males and females. Here, it can be translated as "older sisters" and "older brothers" respectively. Kim Ki-Rok uses the feminine terms with the intent to reinforce this knowledge in Kim Ji-Hee, or to speak from her perspective. ☜