Broken Ranker Devours Myths - Chapter 18

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

 

 

 

The Broken Ranker

Devours Myths

 

Chapter 18

White Burn (4)

 

 

 

At the very moment Lee Hyeon was engaged in a battle of nerves with Team Leader Jeong at Z Team.

Im Won-young was suffering from a headache in a different sense.

“Ohohoho! So you’re telling me that the one my wicked granddaughter was trying to force in—who never shows her face to this old woman unless she has her own agenda—was none other than that Jet?”

“When did I ever force anyone in? You gave your permission for it, Grandmother.”

“That was because I had so much to discuss with that old fool KAL, and you kept bothering me, so I told you to handle it yourself.”

“Anyway, no matter what happens, absolutely do not leak this fact to the outside. I’m only telling you because you kept pressing me about it, but he is my person through and through.”

“Ho, now you even know how to make demands of this old woman?”

“Grandmother!”

“Alright, alright. You’re going to make this old woman’s ears fall off. Do you really think your grandmother would interfere with what her granddaughter is trying to do? I’ll keep my mouth shut, so don’t worry.”

Im Won-young simply pressed her lips together, knowing that arguing further would only scratch at her own insides.

‘Honestly… that clear, ringing laughter—even after hearing it for 30 years, really. Ugh.’

The shameless attitude of always twisting her granddaughter’s words to suit her own desires was the same as well.

Perhaps this was how one could become a Top Ranker, of which there were only 9 in the entire world.

Im Won-young pressed her index finger firmly against her temple while staring blankly at her grandmother sitting in the seat of honor.

Hair that sparkled so beautifully it seemed as if finely ground silver had been sprinkled on it, roughly tied up and secured with a Phoenix Hairpin,

A hanbok made from fine silk that had been modified for comfortable daily wear,

Despite being well over eighty years old, she had firm skin without a single wrinkle and profound eyes that seemed to see through everything,

Lips curved in a mischievously seductive smile,

And a long bamboo pipe that extended gracefully, releasing white smoke and adding an air of mystique.

With an appearance so exquisite that one might imagine this was what a female mountain spirit from folklore would look like,

She was the symbol of South Korea’s Hunter World today, and an absolute being said to embody all tiger myths in one body.

9000.

Mountain God Mo Jeong-gyeon was precisely that woman.

“But you placed that child in Z Team, didn’t you? The team leader there is Executive Director Jeong’s son—will that be alright?”

“Of course it won’t be alright. But what can I do? He said that’s what he wanted.”

Im Won-young crossed her arms with a displeased expression.

The corners of Mo Jeong-gyeon’s eyes curved slightly.

A gaze that seemed to know something, yet didn’t.

“It’s not because you have some other ulterior motive, is it?”

“What ulterior motive?”

“That’s something only you would know, isn’t it?”

She was referring to the political struggles currently taking place throughout the guild.

It meant she saw Lee Hyeon’s recruitment as a means for securing territory.

“Do you think I’m anything like you, Grandmother?”

If Im Won-young had one complaint about Mo Jeong-gyeon, it was exactly this.

Her clear judgment of profit when it came to using people.

If something was beneficial, she would embrace anything.

Like a lush mountain.

Even if it was a venomous snake harboring other ulterior motives.

‘Like Executive Director Jeong.’

But if something wasn’t beneficial, she would immediately cast it aside.

Even if it was a loyal hound that had devoted its entire life to her, there were no exceptions.

‘Like Mom and Dad.’

That’s why so many people had left the guild.

The reason White Burn had essentially become like a lawless zone today was precisely because of this.

As long as they weren’t pointing a blade at her, and as long as they weren’t harming the guild, Mo Jeong-gyeon essentially turned a blind eye to everything.

That was precisely the perspective held by a being known to have become a god while still alive.

Was it because of this?

Mo Jeong-gyeon seemed to think that Im Won-young had also hired Lee Hyeon as a ‘hunting dog’ just like herself,

‘But I’m not. Not like that.’

Mo Jeong-gyeon always said.

That this was precisely the attitude that a mountain lord, the mountain king and hero, should possess.

But Im Won-young knew all too well how that ended.

‘I won’t end up like my parents.’

But whenever she showed this side of herself, Mo Jeong-gyeon would smile an inscrutable smile.

As if saying she would understand when she grew older…

“More importantly, it seems there’s been a change in your realm?”

Mo Jeong-gyeon subtly changed the subject while putting the long bamboo pipe to her mouth.

Im Won-young knew her grandmother’s intentions, but pretended not to and went along with it.

After all, that was precisely why she had come today.

“I gained some inspiration while leaving the Monkey Den. It’s related to Tiger Expelling Three Disasters from the mountain lord folklore, and I thought if Spear Ghost could devour these calamity attributes, it could be used for various purposes.”

Im Won-young hadn’t forgotten Lee Hyeon, who had always maintained steady eyes even in chaotic situations.

This was inspiration she had received from him.

“Oh ho, a Spear Ghost that devours calamities? Indeed, nothing is as certain as Tiger Calamity. Come now, let me see it.”

 

[The legend ‘When Tigers Smoked Tobacco’ begins to show a new form!]

 

Mo Jeong-gyeon’s eyes sparkled as she watched Im Won-young gradually becoming surrounded by white mist.

Her granddaughter, whose growth had been stagnant for the past few years, was finally trying to overcome a ‘wall’ for the first time.

Therefore,

‘Jet, was it? I wonder what kind of fellow he is?’

Mo Jeong-gyeon became very curious about what kind of person this hunting dog who had positively influenced her granddaughter might be.

 

* * *

 

‘…What’s happening?’

Kim Min-jeong’s eyes widened as she watched Lee Hyeon, who wasn’t being pushed back against Team Leader Jeong but was instead pressuring him even more.

It was exactly like seeing his old self.

The one who always stepped forward first to protect his colleagues…

Meanwhile, Team Leader Jeong’s eyebrow twitched.

‘What the hell kind of strength…!’

Even when he tried to shake off Lee Hyeon’s hand, it strangely wouldn’t budge at all.

For a moment, he briefly considered activating his skills to push away this impudent bastard.

He didn’t want to show weakness in front of Kim Min-jeong, whom he had his eye on.

However,

‘This bastard, what the hell has he been doing? I was definitely told he was a cripple who couldn’t use his legs…’

The moment Team Leader Jeong saw Lee Hyeon’s emotionless eyes, he abandoned the thought. This wasn’t someone he could easily deal with.

Just then, he could see other team members starting to get up one by one after hearing the commotion.

In the end, he forced a smile.

“Haha! Our new team member is quite spirited and good. Good, good, you pass.”

He laughed heartily while backing away from Kim Min-jeong.

Lee Hyeon finally released his grip strength.

“Whew, you’re quite strong. Why are your hands so rough? Did you come from somewhere that requires manual labor?”

Lee Hyeon ignored him and looked after Kim Min-jeong.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Kim Min-jeong also came to her senses belatedly and glared at Team Leader Jeong.

“Team Leader Jeong, I will report everything that happened here separately to the higher-ups. The fact that you drank at the company, recklessly displayed your magic power, and tried to harass me again.”

“Manager Kim, we’re not strangers, why are you doing this? And harassment? I was just…”

“You can make your excuses separately to the Human Resources Department later.”

“Sigh, this is so unfair.”

Team Leader Jeong sighed as if he was truly wronged, but Kim Min-jeong didn’t even pretend to listen.

It seemed he would have to cover this up through her father, who was the company’s executive managing director. Team Leader Jeong clicked his tongue inwardly.

Fortunately, there were no CCTVs nearby, so if he pulled some strings with HR, he could probably smooth things over appropriately.

However,

“Oh, and this report won’t end with just a simple demotion or pay cut like before. This time, I’m filing the report as a member of the same team, not from another team.”

“…Same team member?”

This was the first time he’d heard this. Team Leader Jeong’s eyes widened slightly with an inexplicable sense of unease.

Kim Min-jeong presented an official Personnel Assignment Order.

“Following the deputy general manager’s instructions, I will be officially providing support from A-Team starting today.”

“…!”

Team Leader Jeong’s forced smile hardened for the first time.

 

* * *

 

“How is it, your first impression of this place?”

Kim Min-jeong asked while handing Lee Hyeon a canned coffee.

Lee Hyeon gave a bitter smile.

“The worst.”

“How about changing your mind even now?”

“A person has to stand by their words once spoken, how can I take them back?”

“That guy is always like that.”

Lee Hyeon’s laughter was louder than the sound of opening the canned coffee.

“How is someone like that still around?”

“His skills are quite useful. And he has connections with the board of directors.”

“It’s the same here too.”

“Right. Where can people without connections go to complain? Since it’s a private company, in some ways it’s even worse.”

Kim Min-jeong clicked her tongue lightly, then soon bowed her head to Lee Hyeon.

“Thank you for earlier.”

“Don’t mention it. But how did you end up on this team…?”

“Team Leader’s orders. The team leader also serves as deputy general manager. He said to come right away and hook you if it seemed like you might change your mind.”

Lee Hyeon burst out laughing.

“I’ll have to be careful about that.”

“The team leader figured out your personality too.”

“What’s wrong with my personality?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

It seemed they sent Kim Min-jeong as support to help him adapt to the company easily. It was thoughtful consideration.

On one hand, it felt like the distance between him and Kim Min-jeong had lessened considerably due to the earlier incident.

She was smiling now too.

‘That’s exactly why I can’t let this slide.’

Lee Hyeon hadn’t forgotten Team Leader Jeong’s snake-like gaze while looking at Kim Min-jeong.

That was definitely lust.

The kind that could cause a major incident someday.

As long as Kim Min-jeong was going to be on Z-Team with him for a while, he absolutely couldn’t let her stay close to that man.

No, it would be better to get rid of him as quickly as possible.

For her sake, and for his own sake as he planned to use this team as his foundation going forward.

“Z-Team isn’t all people like that, right?”

“Of course not everyone. But when the top is like that, how can the water below be clear?”

Right after Lee Hyeon had his confrontation with Team Leader Jeong, the team members showed an atmosphere of gradually avoiding Lee Hyeon.

The worst situation compared to A-Team.

But Lee Hyeon didn’t mind.

Rolling stones had their own way of surviving as rolling stones.

“There are people here you could call outsiders too. I guess you’d call them single-minded, they have decent skills but can’t get along with those guys.”

“Should I start taking sides with those people?”

“You’re already starting political games?”

Lee Hyeon smiled without answering and drank his canned coffee.

His eyes sank deeply.

The face of someone thinking many thoughts.

For a moment, Kim Min-jeong’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Don’t do it.”

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re preparing to cause trouble right now. Your expression is exactly like that.”

“I told you I didn’t say anything.”

Kim Min-jeong’s furrow deepened.

There had been a similar precedent during the Cheongroe days.

There was a field-grade officer who had connections with the Defense Security Command and treated unit members like lackeys, but couldn’t be properly dealt with.

But then his wrong judgment led to casualties in an operation.

Instead of apologizing, he tried to shift the blame to the victims… Lee Hyeon couldn’t stand it and stepped forward to beat him nearly to death and string him up.

Then he voluntarily turned himself in to the Military Police and was arrested.

That incident greatly increased the unit members’ support for Lee Hyeon, but it became the catalyst for those above to brand him as a ‘troublemaker.’

And,

‘After that, he gained experience and very skillfully got rid of all the staff officers…?’

Lee Hyeon’s ability to become the leader of the Thunder Unit at a young age wasn’t just because of his good skills.

He was quite capable at political fighting too.

But…

‘Right now those eyes are exactly the same as back then!’

What was he trying to do?

Somehow it seemed like team life was going to be turbulent.

“Do you know the easiest way for a rolling stone to become a fixed stone?”

“What are you saying…!”

“You forcibly remove all the other fixed stones.”

“!?”

Lee Hyeon threw his finished canned coffee into the recycling bin while smiling brightly.

“How about it? Forcibly removing them.”

Kim Min-jeong had the words “you can’t” rise up to her throat, but somehow couldn’t get them out of her mouth.

The instinct that it would be interesting overtook her reason.

Memories of her immature Cheongroe days came to mind and she kept letting out hollow laughs.

That’s right.

Actually, when they strung up that field-grade officer, she had been right there beside Lee Hyeon too.

In the end,

“What do I need to do?”

Lee Hyeon grinned at Kim Min-jeong’s question, which she asked with a sigh.

 

* * *

 

The Document Storage Room located on the 8th Floor.

“What are you trying to do by coming all the way here?”

Kim Min-jeong followed Lee Hyeon and checked the ‘Managed Dungeon Documents’ files that Z-Team had been storing.

All of them were classified as long-term unsolved dungeons that had come under Z-Team’s management.

“To clear a dungeon.”

“…?”

“Just you and me, the two of us.”

“…Are you insane!?”

Kim Min-jeong unconsciously let out a shriek, then hastily covered her mouth when other employees’ stares followed.

Then she protested in a hushed voice.

“How exactly do you plan to solve a long-term unsolved dungeon with just the two of us!?”

“Easily.”

“…!!”

Kim Min-jeong forcibly suppressed her urge to grab Lee Hyeon by the collar for his shameless answer.

There was exactly one reason why long-term unsolved dungeons remained unsolved.

‘Because they’re difficult.’

Impregnable fortress.

That’s how they were usually described.

Of course, there were various types of difficulty.

Whether the Quest was difficult, or the type was a labyrinth making it hard to secure a path, or it was difficult to identify the , or the boss monster was tricky to clear.

But they all shared the common trait of high difficulty. Team-based raid groups had failed multiple times.

And now they were going to tackle such a place with just the two of them.

However,

Lee Hyeon, who was rifling through the documents, definitely didn’t look like he was joking.

‘So his match against Team Leader Jeong was real…?’

Just as Kim Min-jeong’s thoughts were running long, Lee Hyeon found something and pulled it out.

“Found it.”

“…What is that?”

“Where we’re going.”

Lee Hyeon’s eyes were glowing brightly with his Golden Eyes of Truth.

 

[You have found a clue related to the myth of ■■■■.]

 

The title of the document was as follows.

 

―Pied Piper.

 

“This is… a dungeon that hasn’t been cleared for over 10 years, isn’t it?”

She didn’t even have the energy to be angry anymore.

Kim Min-jeong knew this dungeon very well too.

She had received consultation and cooperation requests regarding it several times during her Blue Thunder days. It was an extremely dangerous place.

However,

Throughout his review of that report, Lee Hyeon was smiling.

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