The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 26

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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 26

“You never show your face at the Association, so I had to come here myself! So, how did the Gangnam Station Gate investigation go?”

“I was just about to go report on it. You’ve made an unnecessary trip. How troublesome.”

Kang Hyeon said as he closed his documents.

At those words, the Vice-Chairman’s face turned red.

“How diligent of you. Well then, let’s hear what kind of amazing report you’re planning to give.”

“There were no life forms inside the Gate.”

“Then why were life form readings detected at Gangnam Station Gate?”

“Who knows. Perhaps it was an error. The Association has made mistakes more than once or twice, so I suspect this might be another one of those cases.”

As Kang Hyeon said, the Association had often made mistakes like confusing Gate locations or incorrectly announcing Gate grades, so the Vice-Chairman let out a groaning sound.

At that, Kang Hyeon raised one corner of his mouth in a crooked smile.

“Let me say it again – Gangnam Station Gate is just an empty shell of a Gate with nothing inside. If you don’t believe me, would you like to go in and see for yourself?”

The Vice-Chairman was momentarily speechless.

Even when he narrowed his eyes and stared intently, trying to read Kang Hyeon’s expression, he couldn’t figure out what he was thinking at all.

Tch.

The Vice-Chairman clicked his tongue, filled with displeasure.

“Then why are you trying to purchase that empty shell?”

“We’ve had quite a few new Hunters join the Guild recently. I was thinking of using it for training purposes – is there a problem with that?”

“Is that all?”

At the Vice-Chairman’s pressing question, Kang Hyeon leaned his upper body forward.

“What more are you hoping for?”

The moment a red aura was about to settle in Kang Hyeon’s right eye as he felt unease.

Grumble.

A tremendous sound echoed throughout the Guild Leader’s Office.

It was enough to crack Kang Hyeon’s consistently impassive expression.

Kang Hyeon and the Vice-Chairman’s secretary moved their heads to find the source of the sound.

Among them, only the Vice-Chairman stood frozen like a statue.

Gurgle.

When an even louder sound came than before, the Vice-Chairman suddenly clutched his stomach with a pale face.

Kang Hyeon observed the Vice-Chairman with apparent interest.

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“Unwell, what do you mean…!”

Cold sweat began to seep from the forehead of the wide-eyed Vice-Chairman.

His stomach was twisting.

He hadn’t noticed when swallowing it, but his mouth, throat, and even his stomach felt like they were burning.

It was definitely because of that rice grain or whatever it was.

Trying hard to ignore his churning insides, the Vice-Chairman attempted to regain his dignified posture.

But eventually, unable to endure it, he shot up from his seat.

“I just remembered I have an urgent appointment today. Let’s continue this conversation next time.”

“Vice-Chairman? You don’t have any particular schedule this afternoon.”

“Instead of wasting time with useless talk, why don’t you hurry up and come out?”

The Vice-Chairman, cutting off his secretary’s words, rushed out of the Guild Leader’s Office with quick steps.

And as soon as the door closed behind him, he grabbed the collar of a nearby guard and asked urgently.

“Where’s the restroom?”

“Aren’t you the Vice-Chairman? The restroom is around that corner-“

Before the guard could even point in the direction, he had almost run across the corridor and disappeared.

A moment later. The secretary, left alone in front of the restroom, frowned at the sounds leaking from inside.

And carefully covered his nose.

“…Ahem.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Hana, who had returned to the hospital, was fiddling with his phone screen.

“Hana, I’ll go in first. It’s almost time for rounds.”

“Ah, yes! Thank you so much again today, Hospital Director. I’ll definitely repay this kindness someday!”

“What kindness is there to speak of? I also enjoyed getting some fresh air thanks to you.”

After the Hospital Director left with his unchangingly warm smile.

Hana pondered for a few more seconds, then pressed a phone number.

It was Kang Hyeon’s number that they had exchanged to commemorate their contract.

He was bothered by the fact that the Vice-Chairman he had encountered earlier had stolen his rice grain.

Ring ring.

After the dial tone continued for a while, click— the call connected.

-I was actually thinking of contacting you.

For a first phone call, it was quite an aggressive greeting.

Flustered, Hana took a defensive stance even though he knew it wouldn’t be visible.

What’s this? Did he change his mind in the meantime?

“…Why?”

-The Vice-Chairman is throwing a fit, saying he got an upset stomach from eating an item that one of my Guild members gave him. Yun Hana, what did you give him?

Hana chewed his lips for a moment, then chose to be honest rather than make excuses.

“I didn’t give him anything. It was stolen from me.”

-…So, what was it.

At the question that came back a beat late, Hana took a breath and said.

“A rice grain. One with fire resistance properties, but it’s incredibly spicy.”

-Rice grain?

Kang Hyeon’s tone rose slightly at the end.

-Wasn’t what you mentioned earlier all the crops you’re currently cultivating.

“Strictly speaking, I haven’t cultivated it yet. I picked it up from a Gate I cleared a few days ago.”

-Do you plan to cultivate it in the future?

“Yes.”

Tap. Tap.

After hearing small sounds like regular tapping, Kang Hyeon’s voice continued.

-Send that rice grain along with the next delivery.

“Is that all? Weren’t you in trouble?”

-What trouble would there be? The problem is the person who picked up and ate random things.

Unlike someone who had stolen another person’s rice grain, it was a very sensible statement.

At Kang Hyeon’s reaction, Hana mustered up some courage.

“Um, but there’s one small problem. I need Seo Ganghyeon’s help to grow this rice grain.”

-My help?

“Yes. Specifically, I need Seo Ganghyeon’s fire attribute skill. It’s like fertilizer for this rice grain.”

This wasn’t originally how he planned to bring it up, but what did it matter.

Since the rice grain had become the topic of conversation, Hana rode this flow and brought up the main point directly.

“So, I was wondering, could you possibly help with the cultivation?”

-…Why are you so confident about this?

Ha.

A chuckle burst out from the other end of the phone.

“This is actually a rare grade item. And it seems to have effects on hair too! It’ll definitely sell well! I’ll pay you properly for helping.”

-First, I’ll need to see the item directly, so send it along.

Oh.

At Kang Hyeon’s reaction of not immediately rejecting the idea, a short exclamation escaped from Hana’s mouth.

Maybe Seo Ganghyeon is a more compassionate person than expected.

“Since it’s also the first delivery, and I’m in a position to ask for favors, it would be shameless to just send items alone.”

-At least you know it would be shameless.

Hana’s lips jutted out in a pout.

He’d have to take back what he said about her having compassion.

How could she speak so sweetly like that?

“Anyway, I’ll bring it personally next week.”

-Understood.

After somehow finishing the call, Hana let out a sigh of relief.

Despite all his worrying, the situation had unexpectedly gone so smoothly that he was dumbfounded.

Hana stared blankly at the darkened phone screen, then shook his head vigorously.

“This isn’t the time for this. First, let me check how much I’ve harvested so far.”

Coming to his senses, Hana headed toward the garden, but stopped after just a short while.

On the bench near the garden, 301 Grandmother was playing Korean chess with someone.

“Ah! How can you do this! I was winning! That’s cheating! Let’s play again, again!”

“Where’s the cheating in that? Ho ho.”

The half-tied red hair and solid muscular build were quite eye-catching.

‘Who is that? I’m the only young person in this hospital, aren’t I?’

As he tilted his head in confusion, 301 Grandmother spotted Hana and waved her hand.

“Just getting here? Want to play a round of chess?”

“What, who are you calling over? Granny needs to settle things with me first!”

Apparently quite heated about losing, the red-haired man huffed and whipped his head around.

In that instant, both the man and Hana simultaneously pointed their index fingers at each other.

“Huh?”

“Huh!”

The person playing Korean chess with 301 Grandmother was none other than Choi Kwon.

Choi Kwon’s eyes flashed when he spotted Hana.

“Finally found you, F-rank!”

What the hell, what kind of day is today?

Hana hesitantly stepped backward.

Then he noticed something strange.

Hana’s gaze moved to Choi Kwon’s abundant hair.

“That’s weird. Last time his hair was definitely short?”

The fairly long red hair was covering the nape of his neck.

It was so glossy and fine-textured that it made him want to touch it at least once.

Perhaps noticing that gaze, Choi Kwon turned his head sharply as if he’d been waiting for this.

Swoosh.

The red hair fluttered through the air.

“How’s that? Killer, right? Last time there were circumstances, but this is my real hair.”

Choi Kwon’s shoulders rose up smugly.

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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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