Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 3

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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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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (3)

I Had No Idea What I Was Doing

“Hey, you there! You, you know my face! Give me a ride!”

Hunter Lee Gang-mok running away from monsters.

Even as Si-hyeok drove the truck backward, he pondered in his head.

Would he regret it if he didn’t save him?

No. That wasn’t it.

The speed of the monsters currently chasing was much faster than expected. At this rate, even if he ignored Gang-mok, the truck would eventually be caught.

If that happened, Si-hyeok would also die having his limbs torn apart by those damn monster bastards.

“Damn it.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Screech!

Si-hyeok focused his eyes intensely and thought about the identity of those monsters. He had a vague memory of seeing them in the ‘Gate Encyclopedia’ before.

Predator Ants.

Common monsters that appear in B-rank Gates.

Each individual’s power isn’t that strong, but they win through endless numbers. As visible now, they’re very fast and have strong bite force. And…

‘Their defense is low.’

Focused on speed, their outer shell is relatively thin and light.

“Aaaah! Get away! Get away!”

Gang-mok, who had been running away, wrapped mana around his fist and knocked away the Predator Ants clinging to him one by one.

From what he could see, it seemed he didn’t have an artifact. Artifacts are weapons important enough to determine a hunter’s life or death in Gates, so how did he end up losing it?

Fighting Predator Ants without an artifact like that was no different from hitting a rock with an egg. Especially since they’re the type that wins through sheer numbers.

If he deliberated any longer, Si-hyeok himself would be in danger.

He clicked his tongue and picked up the replica Termion Hex-9 from the passenger seat.

He rolled down the window and aimed the gun barrel at the monsters.

Whirr.

The little mana that left his body became bullets and filled the pistol’s magazine completely. Maximum efficiency with minimal mana. Fortunately, it worked as designed during the mimicry process.

—Bang!

He pulled the trigger.

With a gunshot that pierced the ears, the Predator Ant aiming for Gang-mok’s nape fell away.

“…!”

Gang-mok, who had been screaming alone, looked at Si-hyeok with shocked eyes. He was asking, ‘Weren’t you a non-awakened?’

There was no time to answer.

Si-hyeok fired the pistol with his left hand while gripping the steering wheel with his right hand and driving the truck.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

His heart beat like crazy. He gritted his teeth and endured the feeling of weakness as mana drained from him.

Screech!

Screech!

Though he worried about the power since it was an artifact made with cheap materials, the opponent was Predator Ants with low defense.

With the Hex-9’s characteristic high accuracy and the directly modified ‘Rapid Fire Ability’ assisting Si-hyeok, the Predator Ants couldn’t withstand it.

Gunshot, gunshot, screech, gunshot.

Every time Si-hyeok moved his left hand, they fell like bamboo shoots after rain.

He could feel his mana running low, but the high-efficiency circuit he designed was helping him endure it.

“Graaah! You damn bastards!”

Gang-mok, who had room to move as the numbers decreased. He roared and wildly swung his mana-infused fists.

Screeeeech…

After finishing off the last Predator Ant.

Looking around at the surrounding scenery, they were quite far from where they originally were. It seemed they had come this far because of retreating while firing the gun from the truck.

“Damn, damn bastards…”

Gang-mok collapsed weakly onto the corpses of the ants.

Even from inside the truck, his condition didn’t look good. He probably had a hell of a time from inside the Gate, so it was a miracle he lasted this long.

“Haha…”

Si-hyeok, slumped in his seat, let out a hollow laugh.

Only two days since awakening.

Still hadn’t even finished registering as an awakened with the Association.

But what? Prevented a Gate Break and saved someone with a self-made artifact?

Even he found it absurd.

“Wow, amazing.”

“What the hell is this?”

“This is crazy. I have to post this online.”

Since it was a commotion in the middle of Seoul, people were bound to gather.

Passersby who gathered near the truck held up their mobile phones and flashed cameras.

“Everyone please step back!”

“Disperse!”

Not long after, Association employees with tattered clothes arrived.

They must have faced the boss monster while Si-hyeok and Gang-mok dealt with the Predator Ants.

Si-hyeok, who had regained his senses, stumbled out of the truck.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes…”

The employee supported Si-hyeok’s shoulder.

“You’re an awakened. We didn’t know.”

“Ah. I awakened less than a week ago, so I haven’t registered yet. Tomorrow I’ll go right away…”

Si-hyeok stopped speaking. The employee was looking at him with a puzzled gaze.

“…Don’t I need to register as an awakened?”

“No, what are you… Haha. What does procedure matter in such an emergency situation? The Association should be apologizing profusely.”

He waved his hands dismissively.

“The two hunters who went missing inside can’t be helped… but thanks to you, Hunter Gang-mok saved his life. Thanks to you honking the horn before the Gate Break, all our employees were safe too. We let our guard down for a moment.”

He bowed his waist.

“We’re truly sorry for getting you involved in this accident. And we’re sincerely grateful for your help.”

“…I just did what I had to do. It was more because my own life was in danger. Please don’t do this. Come on, straighten up.”

Si-hyeok helped straighten the employee’s back.

“The Break seems to be wrapped up too. Can I go now?”

“Yes. You’ll be contacted soon. Since we caused you damage due to our mistake.”

The employee glanced at the truck’s destroyed hood.

“Understood. Well then, good work.”

Si-hyeok nodded and got back in the truck.

 

* * *

 

Though he felt like he could collapse from exhaustion, he couldn’t go straight home. Si-hyeok was technically still ‘on duty.’

He had to report his work before leaving…

‘What am I going to hear this time?’

Because of the Break, he couldn’t even properly collect the magic stones. And he was quite late too.

Am I really going to get cursed out?

—This is Basement Level 3.

The elevator doors opened. Si-hyeok squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for his superior’s incoming lecture.

“…”

‘…Hm?’

But there was no reaction. He slowly opened his closed eyes and looked outside the door.

Research Director Yoon Seo-jin was drinking coffee in a chair not far away.

She saw Lee Si-hyeok getting off the elevator and set down her paper cup with a thud.

“…Si-hyeok?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you come?”

Was this some new form of scolding? Si-hyeok thought this while trying to figure out the intent behind her question.

But since he couldn’t come up with an answer, he carefully opened his mouth.

“I came to deliver the byproducts I transported today…?”

“No, no. That’s not what I mean.”

Yoon Seo-jin approached him.

“After working so hard today, you could have just gone home to rest, but why did you bother stopping by the company?”

“Working hard?”

“Yes. Don’t tell me you’re pretending not to know? The news is already all over the portal sites, and if you do this, I’ll be a bit hurt?”

News? What the hell was that about?

As he blinked his eyes, she slightly opened her mouth.

“…This person really doesn’t know. Wait a moment.”

Yoon Seo-jin took out her mobile phone and pulled up the news page of a famous portal site, shoving it toward him.

 

[Seoul Downtown B-rank Gate Break… Termion Company’s Transport Driver Rescues A-rank Hunter]

[Around 3 PM, a B-rank Gate break occurred in Seoul Downtown. It was confirmed that a transport driver from ‘Termion Corporation’ who was waiting in front of the Gate miraculously rescued an A-rank Hunter who barely escaped.

(…omitted…)

Citizens evaluated this incident as ‘a hero born in today’s cold society,’ and the chairman of the Non-Awakened General Assembly made a statement calling it ‘a noble response to the increasingly severe abuse of power by the Awakened.’]

 

Si-hyeok, who picked up the phone and read through the entire article, couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.

‘It is something that could become a hot topic….’

Since his face photo was plastered huge without even being pixelated, he thought that at this level, even passersby would be able to recognize his face.

―Tap.

Yoon Seo-jin took back the mobile phone that was in his hands and slipped it into her pocket.

“Anyway, congratulations, Si-hyeok. You’ve become a big star overnight. By the way, when did you awaken? What’s your ability?”

“It hasn’t been many days. It’s a Crafting-Related Skill.”

He had heard that not sharing precise information about special skills was proper etiquette among the Awakened.

“I see. Oh, and the Chairman will probably call for you soon, so prepare a suit. You need to look as neat as possible.”

“The Chairman?”

If it was the Chairman, she must mean the Chairman of Termion Corporation. Why was that name suddenly coming up?

“The A-rank Hunter that Si-hyeok saved today is the Chairman’s son. Hunter Lee Gang-mok.”

Yoon Seo-jin chuckled.

“The company is in chaos right now. From rumors that Si-hyeok deliberately approached to save him, to people saying it’s a shame that the Chairman’s son who got in through nepotism didn’t just die. Hehe. There really are crazy bastards everywhere.”

“…Is it okay for you to say such things?”

“What’s wrong with it? There’s no one listening. Si-hyeok wouldn’t go around blabbing about it, would you?”

“I have no intention of doing that.”

Si-hyeok shook his head while struggling to compose his disheveled expression.

It was shocking. The Chairman’s son.

Rather than stepping forward to save Hunter Lee Gang-mok, he had simply pulled the trigger to survive himself.

How could such a coincidence happen?

“But Si-hyeok, you’re lying, right? About not knowing that Hunter Lee Gang-mok was the Chairman’s son.”

“No. I really didn’t know. I’m usually not particularly interested in company affairs….”

Si-hyeok went “Oh no” and closed his mouth. No matter how honestly he spoke, it was rude to say such things in front of a company executive.

However, she showed a cool reaction.

“Well, Si-hyeok is the type of person who would do that and more.”

Despite holding the position of Research Director of the First Research Department, Yoon Seo-jin personally handled delivery inspections every day. This was due to her picky and thorough personality.

Meeting dozens of transport drivers daily like this, she could immediately grasp their personalities.

This person is very interested in company internal affairs. This person has big ambitions.

―This person is really annoying.

That was most of them. After all, bringing Magic Stones from Gates was also ‘information,’ so it was important to establish connections with company people.

However, Si-hyeok had no such tendencies at all.

He just silently delivered byproducts along his assigned routes and occasionally asked strange questions in the Underground Warehouse.

Since he was that kind of man, it was natural that he wouldn’t be interested in company internal affairs.

‘I should also inform the Chairman in advance that it was Si-hyeok who discovered the production line defect.’

Yoon Seo-jin nodded her head.

The circuit defect in the Termion Hex-9 Prototype that Si-hyeok had discovered in the Underground Warehouse a few days ago.

At that time, she had brushed it off roughly due to unnecessary pride, acting like why was he making a fuss, but as time passed, it made her cringe even more.

How exactly he had discovered that was still a mystery, but this was a good opportunity to resolve that embarrassment.

Research Director of the First Research Department.

It was a position high enough to directly exchange communications with the Chairman.

“Given the Chairman’s personality, he’ll definitely call for Si-hyeok. He’s thorough in that regard.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Since it’s the weekend starting tomorrow, rest well and wait for contact.”

Yoon Seo-jin took the Transport Cart.

“I’ll handle this, so go home now.”

“I could do it myself….”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. There aren’t many Magic Stones today anyway.”

Without giving him a chance to stop her, she opened the security door and went inside.

‘Has this person gone crazy….’

Why was his boss, who was irritable enough to be second to none in the world, acting like this today?

She seemed exactly like someone who had something to feel sorry about.

 

* * *

 

Sunday afternoon.

Si-hyeok was testing his 『Mimicry』 skill with cheap Magic Stones he had ordered from a Shopping Mall.

―Buzz.

The mobile phone he had thrown in the corner of his desk vibrated.

He stopped working and checked his mobile phone.

 

[A message has arrived.]

[Transport Team Lee Si-hyeok. A meeting with the Chairman is scheduled after you come to work on Monday, so please come to the Chairman’s Office.]

 

The sender was Termion Corporation’s Chairman’s Direct Secretary Office.

“…This is really happening.”

Si-hyeok unconsciously rose slightly from his chair.

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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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