A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 157

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 157: Line (4)

 

“To put it simply, it’s an operation to capture the Strange People Cult.”

 

“…?”

 

“It’s nothing to be surprised about. It’s something that should have been done long ago.”

 

Heo Gil continued his explanation with his fingers interlocked and chin resting on them.

 

“The Strange People Cult has committed countless illegal acts until now. The most typical being the exploitation of believers, which is one of the most basic behaviors of pseudo-religions. But under the banner of religious freedom, this has been overlooked many times.”

 

‘Pseudo-religion…’

 

I bit my lip.

 

Pseudo-religions boast a persistent bitter relationship with indigenous beliefs.

 

A fake shaman is better than none at all, but fraudsters who pretend to be shamans, worship false gods, and extort money from people have existed in every era.

 

They repeatedly appeared and disappeared, tarnishing the name of shamanism.

 

‘Filthy scum.’

 

I too was filled with nothing but ill feelings toward pseudo-religions.

 

“Also, the Strange People Cult has some kind of corrupt relationship with the government, though I don’t know the details. The fact that we haven’t been able to take action until now is actually mainly due to that reason.”

 

A corrupt relationship. Does that mean they’ll tolerate anything if you give them money under the table? It was so obvious that I couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh.

 

“…How cliché. And troublesome at the same time.”

 

“Right. It’s a cliché, annoying, common pseudo-religion, but… it’s more dangerous than anything else because it can exercise tremendous violence.”

 

The Strange People Cult uses monsters. Moreover, the Bishop is presumed to be a powerful Awakened with high ability stats.

 

When force is added to a pseudo-religion, what kind of face would it show?

 

‘…Just imagining it is horrifying.’

 

I grimaced as if disgusted. Sister Yu-kyung’s voice continued through that.

 

“Anyway, due to various circumstances, we had no choice but to watch for a while. But now that they’ve attacked the Association, we have a clear ‘justification.'”

 

“….”

 

“The Hunter Association symbolizes the Hunter industry itself. This is the same overseas too. What Hunter in the world would just leave alone an organization that bombed the Association? We’d be lucky not to be called idiots.”

 

Yu-kyung snorted.

 

“It will be a capture operation that removes a cancerous tumor from society while achieving excellent revenge.”

 

Heo Gil also spoke with a crooked smile.

 

“We’ve already taken a big hit, so we can’t just sit still here. Those who cross the line must also be prepared to have their own line erased when they cross it.”

 

I rubbed my fingertips and asked back.

 

“When is the operation scheduled?”

 

“Not right now. But after a certain preparation period passes, we definitely plan to strike them.”

 

Heo Gil looked into my eyes. His serious gaze, without a spoonful of jest, was urging me to answer.

 

“I want you to participate in this operation.”

 

“….”

 

“I can’t say it will be safe. Guild Leader Choi Yu-kyung has already been defeated by the Bishop. We can’t make you an uncertain promise that we’ll protect you either.”

 

It would be the same for the Guild Leaders. With a colleague who had always stood firm collapsing overnight, who could advance without any fear?

 

However, they don’t show it. The sense of responsibility they carry on their shoulders, the strength gained by awakening as S-rank. They simply believe and move forward.

 

“But there is honor.”

 

…And also for the sake of lofty honor.

 

Heo Gil spread his palm.

 

“This operation will be conducted publicly. More precisely, it means that when everything is finished, all citizens will know the success or failure of this operation. If you participate and this succeeds, and if that becomes known, you will definitely gain significant standing.”

 

Heo Gil simultaneously clenched his fist tightly.

 

“The achievement of cutting out society’s rotten parts always has good utility.”

 

‘Standing…’

 

I thought quietly.

 

‘If I participate in this operation, I might gain justification too. Justification to interfere in matters that are only happening at the S-rank level.’

 

Right now, I can neither become S-rank nor establish a guild. In such a situation, participating in this operation was an opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

 

I couldn’t just watch the incidents caused by the Strange People Cult from a ‘safe place’ as Yu-kyung said forever.

 

“Do you think the operation will succeed?”

 

“I don’t know. But I don’t think we’ll lose either. Paying back what we received is the Academy’s way, and also the way of us five major guilds.”

 

In other words, it meant they were confident they could make it succeed somehow.

 

Haha…

 

The confident and assured words characteristic of S-rank Hunters were strangely trustworthy.

 

“I understand.”

 

I accepted the proposal.

 

“Ooh—. Quick decision, very good!”

 

Lee Cheong-ryu raised his thumb as if he had been waiting. However, the conversation wasn’t over yet.

 

I continued the sentence.

 

“Instead, there’s one thing I’d like to request.”

 

“…?”

 

“If the operation succeeds, and we manage to capture the Bishop, please grant me private interrogation rights.”

 

The Guild Leaders showed puzzled expressions at the sudden proposal.

 

‘It’s understandable they’d be confused.’

 

Private interrogation rights with a criminal. It might be an unreasonable request, but it was absolutely necessary for me.

 

“I hope I can interrogate the Bishop alone in a place where no one else is present.”

 

“…What’s the reason?”

 

“I cannot tell you.”

 

At my firm answer, the Guild Leaders exchanged glances with each other. I shook my head.

 

“I have no desire for fame. I don’t particularly need Achievement either. Whether it’s honor or power, I only need as much as I can have and as much as I need. However, the authority to privately interrogate any of the Bishops is more necessary than anything else.”

 

Heo Gil stroked his chin and tilted his head.

 

“…It’s a proposal I can’t understand at all.”

 

“Why? I find it interesting. As expected, you’re not ordinary—.”

 

The authority to privately interrogate the Bishop. I spoke grandly, but the reason was actually simple.

 

‘I need to understand the relationship between the Divine Spirits and the Gwaemin Cult.’

 

After capturing the Bishop. I needed to fully understand the relationship between the Divine Spirits and them.

 

‘The fact that the Mountain Lord knew the Bishop… and that they also recognized me. There are too many strange things.’

 

Also, the prophecy I heard from the Divine Spirits in Japan.

 

.

 

Quite some time had passed since then, but the Silver-Haired Bishop had not appeared. Instead, another Bishop had caused trouble in Korea.

 

In other words, interpreting that phrase. The fox refers not to the Silver-Haired Bishop but to the Gwaemin Cult forces themselves. And Taebaek refers to Korea’s Taebaek Mountain Range, in other words, the center of the Korean Peninsula.

 

‘The Korean Hunter Association.’

 

The prophecy… had been fulfilled. In a way no one could have expected.

 

The words of Divine Spirits are always like this. Vague and ambiguous. It was my mistake for not realizing it first.

 

But such an accurate prophecy. What kind of secret was entangled between the Divine Spirits and the Gwaemin Cult? I had to investigate.

 

‘It might become a clue to the main Quest that promised to let me see Grandfather.’

 

The Guild Leaders who had been exchanging glances finally spoke.

 

“…It doesn’t matter.”

 

Yeon Na-yeon said indifferently.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Hong I-jo expressed brief agreement, and Sister Yu-kyung also nodded, though she sighed.

 

“Alright. Do as you please as long as it’s not dangerous. If you have the skill to survive multiple encounters with Bishops, there shouldn’t be any major problems from a private interrogation.”

 

Permission was granted. I had been thinking about how I could kidnap the Bishop if they refused. Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary.

 

“Yes. That’s good.”

 

A contract that wasn’t quite a contract was established, and the meeting was heading toward its conclusion.

 

“Then… we’ll include Hunter Eun Hae-dam in the operation. The operation will begin in two months. We need time for Red Dog to obtain the arrest warrant. That should be enough time, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Good. Two months should be just when they’re starting to let their guard down, so it’s perfect timing.”

 

Yu-kyung said this while distributing tasks to each of the Guild Leaders.

 

“Red Dog, as mentioned, will cooperate with the prosecution to obtain the arrest warrant, and Butterfly will track some of the Gwaemin Cult believers. Based on that, we’ll identify their main activity patterns and movements.”

 

“….”

 

“Academy will monitor the Gwaemin Cult church we’ll be infiltrating. They must have sucked money from somewhere because their church is disgustingly large. We need to find out what kind of activities they mainly conduct at the church. And Blue Dragon…”

 

“What should I do? I can do anything, so please trust me and assign me a task!”

 

Yu-kyung looked Lee Cheong-ryu up and down, then pressed her forehead with a sigh.

 

“…Go to the church and set up entry coordinates. We’ll need to enter through your Gate on the operation day. Be absolutely careful not to get caught.”

 

“Of course. That’s my specialty.”

 

Lee Cheong-ryu smiled confidently and shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Well then, it’s decided. I trust that everyone will do well in their respective roles.”

 

With Heo Gil’s words, the meeting concluded. The Guild Leaders must be busy with other matters as well, so it seemed the meeting wouldn’t drag on.

 

I stood up from my seat and thought briefly.

 

‘Two months from now… I need to build up my strength during that time.’

 

At least enough to be a match for the Bishop. Enough to protect the people important to me.

 

It was going to be a busy time.

 

* * *

 

I opened the refrigerator and took out barley tea.

 

Gulp.

 

The cool barley tea flowing down my throat made my head feel clearer. I wiped my lips and muttered.

 

“I guess I’ll have to explore dungeons as much as possible. To increase my mana and gain more experience.”

 

The problem was how to find dungeons to enter.

 

‘Joining a temporary party like last time would be fine, but… being with strangers makes me hesitant to use my skills freely.’

 

My skills that used various attributes stood out too much. Being exceptional was mostly a poison unless it was absolutely necessary.

 

“I suppose it would be better to pay money directly and make reservations this time. Since the Association is destroyed, it doesn’t seem like the Association President can arrange anything for me either.”

 

I put the barley tea back and took out my mobile phone.

 

When I opened the Hunter community that I had become somewhat familiar with while looking for parties, a site for dungeon reservations appeared.

 

“What? Why are the prices like this?!”

 

But the numbers written there were strange.

 

“How many zeros are there…?”

 

It was completely different from the prices I knew. Most dungeons were priced at least five times higher than usual.

 

“What the hell is this—. No, I guess this makes sense?”

 

Dungeons are managed by the Association. But right now, the Association couldn’t function at all.

 

‘Then…’

 

“This is the problem with privatization…”

 

All sorts of random dungeon trading companies had crowded in, causing prices to skyrocket beyond control.

 

“Damn. I don’t have enough money to throw around like this.”

 

I could only sigh, wondering how to solve this problem.

 

“Hmm?”

 

Then a post in the community caught my eye.

 

[Guys, instead of those shitty online purchases, try this] Anonymous 16:47

 

[Hunter Association Dungeon Auction Notice]

 

Association-hosted dungeon 2nd auction.

 

Period: 2X.01.21 ~ 01.28 14 PM

 

Location: Hunter Association Seoul Headquarters

 

Since the Association is paralyzed right now, buyers have to come in person lol But I went to the 1st auction last time and the Association regulated it so prices are relatively cheap.

 

Though it’s still about twice the usual price, but for small and medium guild leaders with empty wallets, where else can you find this?

 

Looking at the content, it seemed the Association was hosting a dungeon auction.

 

“Hmm… Should I go there?”

 

As they say, those without money should make up for it with effort(?). If I go in person and bid my lungs out, I could get them a bit cheaper.

 

‘How many should I buy…’

 

I had two months. Even if I quickly ran one or two per week, I needed to buy at least 8.

 

“Ugh, I can’t spend my entire balance though.”

 

While I was racking my brains like that.

 

Ding—!

 

A notification sounded from my mobile phone.

 

“What is it?”

 

I pulled down the notification window on my mobile phone to check what it was. A deposit notification? This is…

 

Thud.

 

My knees automatically dropped toward the ground. My hand covered my mouth.

 

“…Wow.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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