Chapter 227: The Interview (1)

Reporter Kang Seok-Hyun drove to work in his compact car, which he was still paying off on a twelve-month installment plan. He pressed his key fob twice while muttering to himself, "

Hoo...

I slept too late... No, I woke up late!"

Having been with the same company for years now, it was routine for him to leave home early and time his commute to avoid the worst of the traffic. Of course, he never intended to start work before office hours, so he made a habit of relaxing at a nearby coffee shop before heading in right on time. But today, things were different.

Honk! Honk!

He let out another sigh. After confirming the car in front had come to a complete stop, Kang Seok-Hyun opened his navigation app to check the traffic report. The real-time update told him it would be at least thirty more minutes to reach the office.

"What on earth is going on?" he complained.

Normally, an explanation would pop up at the bottom of the screen. But no matter how long he waited, there was nothing.

Was it a fire? An accident?

Glancing up, he saw the jam wasn't budging. He snatched his smartphone from the passenger seat and searched his current location online, keeping one hand on the wheel.

"Damn it! A Gate!"

It had appeared right in the middle of the road. Kang Seok-Hyun craned his neck to look for a way out, but cars boxed him in on all sides and there was no way to switch lanes.

"Let's see..."

With the help of Hunters from the Association and the police, the congestion wouldn't last forever. Still, there was no way he'd arrive on time, so he dialed his boss.

—Oh! Hello, Seok-Hyun.

"A Gate's blocking the road. I'm not going to make it on time."

—Do you have anything urgent to handle?

"No. I wrapped up everything yesterday."

—Your camera?

"In the back seat."

—Don't you need the recorder? Well, you can just use your phone. You probably have your laptop too. Listen, go straight to the DG Guild. Have your assistant head there as soon as he gets in. Actually, I'll tell him myself.

"Thank you."

—No prob. Good luck.

"Yes, I'll message you after I'm done," Kang Seok-Hyun replied.

—Sounds good. Oh, and...

He glanced at the smartphone resting on the dashboard.

—Your classmate will be there too.

"My classmate?"

—I mean your colleague.

Colleague? That could only mean...

"Bo-Ram?"

—Yeah, that one.

Kang Seok-Hyun frowned, then replied calmly, "But I got the call from Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok."

—I heard she got a call from Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok too.

Another sigh escaped him as he wondered,

Was it because they'd often run into Kim Ki-Rok together? Or did Kim Ki-Rok simply need as many reporters as possible?

"Boss," Kang Seok-Hyun said.

—Yeah, what is it?

"Did Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok contact other newspapers?"

—No. Just you and Lee Bo-Ram.

Did we get these invitations because he knows us?

That couldn't be it. Kim Ki-Rok had always been friendly with all the reporters.

"I understand. I'll head over now," Kang Seok-Hyun said.

—Gotcha.

***

The Gate in the middle of the road forced Kang Seok-Hyun to head straight to the DG Guild instead of his office. Upon arrival, he parked, rolled down his window, and stuck his head out, eyeing the DG Guild with a puzzled look.

"They took down the outer wall," he murmured.

Strictly speaking, it had been demolished, but the grounds were so immaculate it looked as if the wall had never been there.

"I can't say I don't get it."

A huge cargo truck idled in the parking lot, waiting its turn. Everyone seemed frantic and busy, making calls, checking loads, and bustling around. Construction on the new city hadn't started yet, so trucks were being used to haul food and daily necessities as part of the disaster recovery project.

A month earlier, news of Yuashiel's rescue had spread worldwide via the Hunters Association. Bolstered by the video Kim Ki-Rok posted to the DG channel before the counterattack against the Greater Demon and the Black Arkwizard, this news drew a flood of visitors and messages to the DG Guild.

Hunters with good skills but poor fundamentals sought out the DG Guild and Hunters Association, hoping to learn from professionally trained knights. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent people to discuss constructing the Tower of Wizards, aiming to develop a system for training wizards who harnessed mana through knowledge.

CEOs of major construction firms practically lived at the DG Guild and Hunters Association, eager for a stake in the massive continent restoration project. Sensing opportunity, related companies scrambled to join in. From big corporations to mid-sized businesses, from famous Hunters to those barely known, and from diplomats in neighboring countries to those from across the world, all made their way to the DG Guild.

Kang Seok-Hyun typed "Hunters Association" into his search bar. The scene there mirrored the DG Guild: civil servants, Hunters, and company representatives all waited on the first floor.

"Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok..." he murmured.

The appearance of Gates, monsters, mana, and the Awakened had upended the world, and Earth had struggled to adapt. For a long time, humanity had failed to prevent Gate Breaks, and only after suffering tremendous damage did the world begin to painfully accept change.

"This time, it's a bit different."

Thirty days ago, Earth faced yet another change. Perhaps, because the first shift had been so painful, people adapted faster now. If the announcement had come right after Yuashiel was saved, things might've been different. But Kim Ki-Rok had warned the world ahead of time, giving everyone a chance to prepare before the operation began.

When he finished parking with the help of DG Guild staff, Kang Seok-Hyun stepped out and looked up at the Guild's headquarters.

Since Kim Ki-Rok appeared out of nowhere in 2040, many assumed that was when he awakened. But Kang Seok-Hyun had doubts, not just because of his abilities, but also because of the criminal purge he led with the Shine Guild and the Hunters Association. Given that he had orchestrated the takedown of S-Class criminal Ma Ak-Soo and his gang, Kang Seok-Hyun suspected his awakening came much earlier.

After digging around and relying on his journalistic instincts, however, he found nothing. There hadn't been a single trace of Kim Ki-Rok prior to that year.

"Hey! Seok-Hyun! Long time no see!"

A familiar voice jolted him from his thoughts. He turned to see K Daily's reporter Lee Bo-Ram, his classmate and rival, walking over with a young woman. Bo-Ram waved enthusiastically, grinning, while the girl beside her glanced around with wide-eyed curiosity. She looked so young she seemed like a child.

"Is she your direct junior?" Kang Seok-Hyun asked.

"Yeah. She's my daughter," Lee Bo-Ram replied.

"Ah, hello! I'm Lee Chae-Eun, a new reporter! It's an honor to meet you, Senior Kang Seok-Hyun!"

Her awkwardness was unmistakable—a rookie's tell. Thus, Kang Seok-Hyun handed her a business card and said, "If you ever think of switching jobs, let me know."

"Ah, right... Sorry?" Lee Chae-Eun stammered.

She worked for K Daily, so her future was already spoken for, but Kang Seok-Hyun subtly floated the idea anyway.

"Oh my! Senior Seok-Hyun!"

At the sound of that voice, Kang Seok-Hyun frowned and looked up. The new arrival was Baek Tae-Soo, a fresh recruit at Hunter World.

"Oh! Senior Bo-Ram! Hello! I'm Baek Tae-Soo, the new reporter at Hunter World!"

"I like your energy! Baek Tae-Soo, right? I'll remember it."

Baek Tae-Soo bowed deeply, beaming. "Thank you!"

Lee Bo-Ram smiled back. "That's our cute and reliable junior, Tae-Soo."

"Yes! And you're the cute, charming, beautiful Senior Bo-Ram!" he replied.

"Aren't you excited?"

"I am excited!"

"About what?" Lee Bo-Ram asked.

"I'm excited to meet the elves!"

"And?" she pressed.

"I'm excited to meet the Beastfolk!" he said, eyes shining.

"As expected! You know what's important!" Lee Bo-Ram laughed, patting his shoulder.

In a heartbeat, they were like siblings, chatting easily.

Kang Seok-Hyun watched the pair, then glanced at K Daily's new reporter, who was quietly observing the cargo trucks and taking notes before raising her camera to film the company CEO or their assistant.

While Lee Chae-Eun had jumped straight into reporting, Baek Tae-Soo, much like Lee Bo-Ram, was busy bantering and laughing.

These two definitely picked the wrong companies,

Kang Seok-Hyun thought.

***

"Wooooow!"

"Wooooah!"

"Senior! There are beautiful elf hyungs and noonas here!" Baek Tae-Soo exclaimed.

"Woooooah!" Lee Bo-Ram echoed.

The two of them gawked their way through the Yuashiel Dimension, snapping pictures instead of conducting interviews.

Kang Seok-Hyun watched the Beastfolk, dwarves, elves, priests, knights, and even children running with bright, carefree smiles. "There's not much time before our appointment. Let's get going," he said to the group.

"Now we get to meet the people we've only seen in videos!" Lee Bo-Ram cheered.

"Senior, who do you want to interview first?" Baek Tae-Soo asked.

"I want to interview Laon oppa!"

"Oooh!"

"What about you, Tae-Soo?" she asked.

"Me? Well..."

"Saintess Riel? Or Ms. Serena?"

"Uh... tough choice. Saintess or High Elf..."

While Baek Tae-Soo and Lee Bo-Ram pondered their preferences, Kang Seok-Hyun, frowning, cut in. "

None

of those three have ever agreed to be interviewed by you two."

"We still have a chance, Senior Kang!" Baek Tae-Soo insisted. "The Saintess loves Earth's culture! And Ms. Serena likes humans too!"

"Yeah! And Laon Oppa's fond of people, so we might get lucky!" Lee Bo-Ram chimed in.

"

Haaah...

"

Kang Seok-Hyun wished he didn't know these people. If he could, he'd switch teams in a heartbeat.

Lost in thought, he made his way to the castle, followed by the two who had been eagerly talking about the famous representatives of this species. Trailing behind was Lee Chae-Eun, still checking the photos as she walked with her head down.