Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 16

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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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The Broken Ranker

Devours Myths

 

Chapter 16

White Burn (2)

 

 

 

“If the job offer you made before is still valid, I would like to join your company.”

Lee Hyeon got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

Im Won-young’s expression brightened.

“That’s a great decision…!”

“However, I have conditions.”

“Yes. Please tell me anything.”

“There’s a specific team I want to join.”

In that moment, Im Won-young’s excited demeanor suddenly deflated.

“I was hoping to have Hunter Jang join my A Team. Is that not to your liking? If I’m being a burden…”

“No. The reason I decided I should join White Burn was actually because the impression you gave me was so positive.”

Lee Hyeon looked at the Tiger God’s Protection Charm.

Without this item she had given him, controlling the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s divine power would have been much more difficult.

An item that was nothing less than a Sacred Relic.

There weren’t many people who could give such a thing without hesitation to someone who might die and disappear along with a dungeon, telling them to come back.

“You might not know this, but even after I was discharged, there were places that occasionally sent me love calls asking me to join them.”

Im Won-young nodded.

The value she saw in Lee Hyeon was absolutely not inferior even compared to active Hunters.

No, it was actually greater than that.

“But the reason I rejected them all was ultimately because what they needed was my insignificant reputation, or the know-how from the Thunder Unit. And,”

Lee Hyeon paused to catch his breath before continuing.

“I think White Burn isn’t much different.”

“I won’t deny that.”

“Of course, I don’t think that’s necessarily bad. Companies ultimately need to generate profit.”

“But I can say with certainty that the proposals and benefits we can offer will be greater than theirs.”

Im Won-young crossed one leg and spoke in a calm tone.

“I plan to provide full support regarding Hunter Jang. Anything that would be helpful. Other companies or guilds would use Hunter Jang like a display doll for publicity, but we’re different.”

Lee Hyeon felt, as he had before, that there was power in Im Won-young’s voice.

“Since you’ve regained your magic power, this actually works out well. If you want, we’ll help you return to active duty completely. Various treatments and support, of course, and in the future we can even promise to establish a team under Hunter Jang.”

And he wondered if he had ever possessed such power himself.

“If necessary, in addition to this…”

The proposals were so groundbreaking that Kim Min-jeong, who was listening from the side, was greatly surprised.

But what moved Lee Hyeon was that he could feel consideration for himself in each and every proposal.

“…Team Leader Im, that was the first time you had seen me, but how can you trust me with something like this…”

“The length of time isn’t what’s important in trust, is it? It’s the depth that matters.”

“…”

“And I’m investing in a blue-chip stock that has nowhere to go but up. At times like this, you have to go all-in without looking back to gain big. They say people get three big opportunities in their lifetime, right?”

Im Won-young smiled brightly.

“I just think I’ve caught one of those opportunities here.”

Lee Hyeon tried to recall when he had ever received such unlimited goodwill.

In his fierce life, it seemed there had been exactly two times.

His brother and his mentor.

Both were people who had changed his life when he had only been wandering.

Could this person also become someone like them?

“Did this little guy happen to be helpful?”

Im Won-young still hadn’t retrieved the Tiger God’s Protection Charm.

“Yes. It was a great help.”

“If you need it, I can lend it indefinitely.”

“That would really be too much of a burden.”

A light joke.

Lee Hyeon let out a small laugh.

The slightly heavy atmosphere lightened.

“I would be grateful if you provided full support, but I want to decline it all.”

“The conversation has come full circle again. Is it because it would be burdensome?”

“That’s part of it… but more than that, it’s because I don’t want to deal with fame.”

So this is the main point.

Im Won-young nodded as she saw Lee Hyeon’s heavily sunken gaze.

“Please continue. What exactly do you mean by that?”

“If I receive full support, I would eventually have to perform on the front lines, wouldn’t I? I hate the fame that would follow.”

“If necessary, we could shield you from all media…”

“But everyone who matters in the industry would know, wouldn’t they?”

Im Won-young had a flash of insight.

“You don’t want your activities known to the outside world?”

“Yes.”

“Not even the fact that you’ve recovered your magic power?”

Lee Hyeon silently nodded.

“I just want to appear as ‘an ordinary guide who got lucky and was specially hired.'”

“…Then what about the team you want to join?”

Lee Hyeon calmly mentioned the team he had been thinking about.

Im Won-young’s eyes widened slightly.

“That’s a department where there are more people whose existence is unknown. Even headquarters calls it an exile.”

“That’s actually why it’s better.”

“May I ask the reason?”

“Dungeon exploration was originally my main job, and I thought it would be the best way to utilize that.”

“…”

“If you’re disappointed or sense any impure intentions, feel free to refuse.”

Im Won-young stared intently at Lee Hyeon to read his intentions, but there was no sign of wavering, making it difficult to read his mind.

Based on their conversation alone, it seemed like he was just beating around the bush saying ‘I want to comfortably freeload off a big company salary’…

‘No. Someone who would end things at just that level.’

If that had really been his purpose, he would have lived that way long ago.

‘Could that rumor really be true…?’

Im Won-young thought her speculation was quite reasonable.

However,

‘But it doesn’t seem like it’s just for that reason alone.’

There’s something else. Something else.

“Alright. Regarding that matter, I’ll discuss it with the higher-ups once I return and contact you again.”

Im Won-young stood up from her seat. Kim Min-jeong also stood up.

“Aren’t you taking this ring?”

But the Tiger God’s Protection Charm remained on the table.

Im Won-young winked with one eye.

“Give it to me next time we meet. And the rewards from the Monkey Den are my welcoming gift to you.”

Click-clack-

Kim Min-jeong alternated her gaze between her departing superior and her old school senior she’d met after a long time, then only bowed to her senior before chasing after her superior.

“…Haha.”

Lee Hyeon let out a light hollow laugh as he held up the Tiger God’s Protection Charm.

It seemed like returning this wouldn’t be easy.

And a welcoming gift, no less.

The ring sparkled particularly brightly as it caught the light.

 

* * *

 

Vrooom!

A yellow sports car with an impressive bull logo raced along Cheongdam Bridge.

“…You’re going too fast, Team Leader. Shouldn’t you slow down a bit?”

“What’s the big deal? When else can I drive this fast in the middle of Seoul?”

“I’m saying this because we’re going to crash! Car ahead! Car ahead!”

The sports car showed exquisite movement as it lightly overtook a compact car that had been driving slowly ahead.

Kim Min-jeong felt like her soul was about to leave her body.

“…Riding in your car is scarier than exploring a 3-star dungeon, Team Leader.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“You think this looks dramatic to you!?”

Kim Min-jeong forcibly suppressed her surging emotions.

She could see that Im Won-young was lost in other thoughts.

“Manager Kim.”

“Yes.”

“Are you sulking? Your tone is getting insubordinate.”

“You know this counts as workplace harassment by a superior, right?”

“As expected of our Manager Kim, so feisty. That’s why I like you even more.”

“Your way of speaking right now sounds too much like an old man.”

“Would Manager Kim like to try attending executive meetings full of old men every day? See if this happens to you too.”

Im Won-young chuckled and changed the subject.

“This morning when the team members were talking, didn’t Manager Min say that Hunter Jang had a long-time girlfriend?”

For a moment, Kim Min-jeong smiled awkwardly.

“…Yes. They were a famous couple.”

“Does that girlfriend happen to be related to Xu Changyou?”

“…”

“So that rumor is actually true.”

Xu Changyou. Seo Chang-woo.

Someone more famous by the nickname Absolute Zero.

He was also a ranker from Blue Thunder who suddenly announced his naturalization to China the day after the Ice Palace incident.

Now he only faced public criticism as a traitor and such, but in reality, Korea’s Hunter industry classified him as a dangerous element.

This was because rumors circulated that he had actually stolen the Sacred Relic that came from the Snow Queen.

The government immediately announced that no such thing had happened, but…

‘Common sense would say it makes no sense that only junk items came from a 4-star dungeon boss that appeared after 20 years, right?’

However, the government had never officially acknowledged such suspicions.

“Then his dislike of fame might also be connected to this?”

“…”

“Since he’s directly involved.”

“…”

“It’s also easy to see that Xu Changyou is conscious of Blue Thunder. There were rumors that he was trying to create the same thing in China, right? I heard talk that he was secretly making contact with his former colleagues.”

“…”

“But where is that girlfriend? I’ve never heard any rumors about her other than Xu Changyou.”

Kim Min-jeong let out a long sigh.

“Everything you’re asking about is classified. And if disclosed, it’s punishable by at least imprisonment… You’re only digging into such troublesome things.”

“That’s exactly why I’m asking. Otherwise, why would I bother asking around?”

“…”

Kim Min-jeong was left speechless by her superior’s shameless answer.

“But,”

What else was he going to say now?

“Then that person’s entire life is shrouded in mystery. He has no life of his own at all?”

“…”

“When he was young, he was loyal to the country, but even that was all secret, and even when he went through painful experiences, he had to keep hiding them, always having to stay hidden…”

“…”

“He was a pitiful person. Hunter Jang.”

He seemed to have been deep in thought since a while ago.

Was it because of this?

“Could you tell me what kind of person Hunter Jang was at the military academy?”

“Normally this really wouldn’t be allowed… But now that a lot of time has passed and the security level has been lowered considerably, only you should know about this, Team Leader.”

Where should she start the story?

Kim Min-jeong fell into thought for a moment.

And then,

“He was a monster from the moment he enrolled.”

Kim Min-jeong slowly immersed herself in the past.

She was the 18th class of Awakened Military Academy cadets.

Though she was one class below Lee Hyeon as a junior,

She was also a member of the Thunder Unit who had participated in the Ice Palace incident under his command.

Vrooom!

Along with the rough engine sound,

Kim Min-jeong began to calmly bring up the past.

 

* * *

 

As soon as Im Won-young arrived at the company, he went up to the 13th floor where the Chairman’s Office was located.

“Grand… I mean, Chairman, you’re inside, right?”

“Yes. She is here, but she’s currently meeting with the KAL Guild representative who came from America.”

“I’ll wait here until it’s over, so please tell the Chairman.”

Im Won-young’s eyes were shining with determination.

“That I want to scout an interesting person.”

 

* * *

 

Lee Hyeon left the cafe and got on the subway heading home.

Son Wukong was on top of his head, busily picking up and eating walnut pastries.

「Oh, the way the red beans and walnuts get chewed together is so fascinating! To think such a taste could exist. Ohhh.」

At this rate, he might end up destroying all of Korea’s snack culture.

Lee Hyeon shook his head and quietly checked his mana operation.

Dueoksini’s Sigh, which had initially wandered around unable to find a route, finally felt like it was settling into place.

His mana circuits were also adding new properties to match this.

‘No matter how I look at it, it’s thanks to the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Every time I gain something new, it keeps regulating my metabolism so my senses don’t get disturbed.’

The precise function of the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which he had thought was simple recovery, was ‘Condition Maintenance.’

Thanks to this, Lee Hyeon was always able to maintain calm and rational thinking.

「More importantly, will you be okay? You said you dislike fame, but what if you join an organization? People in the know will find out soon enough, won’t they?」

“No. Team Leader Im is fine. He’ll probably keep his team members’ mouths shut too.”

「What makes you trust that person? Even the Golden Eyes of Truth don’t show me that kind of thing.」

“I’m confident in my ability to judge people.”

Lee Hyeon recalled Moon Su-chan’s advice to please develop better judgment of people.

“And actually, maintaining this kind of position will be good for White Burn in the long run too.”

「Well, I suppose that’s true. You could become a hidden trump card. Plus,」

Son Wukong chuckled as he thought about the team Lee Hyeon had requested. The more he looked at it, the more exquisite the choice seemed.

「They get to handle dungeons that have been giving them headaches because they couldn’t clear them, and might even get new spoils as a bonus?」

“And… I’ll be able to easily find Daeseong’s dungeons.”

「Haha! That is the most important point!」

Lee Hyeon recalled where the second mythical dungeon that the Golden Eyes of Truth had discovered was located.

 

[‘Sacred Relic: Golden Eyes Mirror’ is searching for ■■■■’s myths.]

…

[Move to Hoengseong, Gangwon Province.]

[The currently discovered myth is already a completed dungeon.]

 

‘If it’s the dungeon in Hoengseong, that’s an unsolved dungeon that was originally managed by another guild but White Burn took over after long-term clearing failures.’

Unlike instance dungeons like the Yellow Desert, most dungeons were usually managed by guilds subcontracted by government agencies.

This was also why Lee Hyeon had taken White Burn’s commission to go to the Monkey Den.

In the end,

‘To operate in earnest, I have no choice but to join some organization.’

That’s why he chose White Burn, with whom he’d recently built rapport.

‘Im Won-young can keep secrets. This way I can target the second dungeon with peace of mind too.’

And,

‘It’s not just this place. All the mythical dungeons discovered in the future will be approached under White Burn’s name.’

Being on the rear lines rather than the front lines was good for staying inconspicuous too.

It was the perfect team for Lee Hyeon.

That’s right.

The team Lee Hyeon had hoped for was precisely…

Buzz buzz.

His mobile phone rang.

Im Won-young.

Lee Hyeon answered the call.

『As you requested, you’ve been assigned to the ‘Long-term Unsolved Dungeon Exploration Team’. When would you be able to start work?』

Long-term Unsolved Dungeon Exploration Team.

A place that focused exclusively on managing, exploring, and attempting to clear impregnable dungeons that hadn’t been solved for long periods.

“I’ll start tomorrow.”

A smile formed on Lee Hyeon’s lips.

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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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