GM Ch49

According to Jung Seongwon, it seemed like they would join the Poison Jar Dungeon raid after some adjustments.

“Just asking, have you ever thought about modeling? My sister runs a clothing store, and you have the perfect style for it.”

“When I said I’d do it, you said I couldn’t! Why are you discriminating against me?”

This time, Shin Youngjae appeared with a tray and naturally sat next to Kim Nayeon.

“Your style doesn’t match.”

“What’s wrong with my style?”

“The store targets men in their teens and early twenties. A thirty-eight-year-old uncle like you doesn’t fit.”

“Who’s an uncle? That hurts.”

Shin Youngjae crossed his hands over his chest, pretending to be hurt, but Kim Nayeon didn’t even glance at him. Instead, she turned to Minjun and smiled broadly.

“Hunter Kim Minjun, I’ll send you an email. Check it out, and I’ll include a link to the website so you can see the styles. I think you’d be a great fit. If you don’t want to model, you can just accept sponsorship. Oh, and feel free to decline. No pressure, okay?”

“Alright, Hunter Kim Nayeon.”

“You can drop the honorifics.”

“Okay.”

“You’re so polite. By the way, is it true that the Star Guild scouted you? I heard their guild leader was really persistent.”

“It’s true that I received a scouting offer.”

“With a handsome guy like our baby chick, it’s no wonder the Star Guild leader chased after you.”

Minjun just laughed at the flattering comment. But Shin Youngjae, who was eating enthusiastically next to him, suddenly chimed in.

“Nayeon, you shouldn’t call another guy handsome when your boyfriend is right here.”

“What are you talking about? Be jealous of the right things. Hunter Kim Minjun is twenty years old.”

Kim Nayeon smacked Shin Youngjae on the back, making a loud slap. He exaggerated his pain, but she ignored him. On the other hand, Minjun was quite surprised to learn they were dating. They had been friendly in the Grassland Dungeon, but he hadn’t sensed anything more.

“Are you two dating?”

“Mhm. Didn’t we tell you? Oh, I guess we didn’t. We’re an office couple.”

Shin Youngjae answered, putting his arm around Kim Nayeon’s shoulder, only to have his hand pinched, making him wince. Watching the two bicker, Minjun couldn’t help but smile. They oddly suited each other.

The three hunters’ lunch lasted a long time. They emptied their trays several times, going back for more. Most of their conversation during lunch was about the Half and Half Dungeon, the next raid location for Team 1. Minjun tried to gather as much information as possible about the dungeon, which had both jungle and desert terrains. Although he hadn’t decided whether to join, it was good to be prepared just in case.

As they were finishing lunch, Minjun received a call from Soohyuk, asking him to come to the guild leader’s office.

“I’ll head out first.”

Minjun excused himself and left. Kim Nayeon and Shin Youngjae exchanged glances as they watched him return his tray and exit the company cafeteria.

The guild’s cafeteria had a few hunters having a late lunch. They used items to ensure their conversation couldn’t be overheard by other hunters with sharp ears. Only the two people wearing a pair of these items could hear each other.

“Do you think he’s really making a move?”

Kim Nayeon guessed the truth that even Soohyuk didn’t know.

“I don’t think so.”

“Think about it. He provided not just defensive items but weapons too. He practically stuck to him like glue. As Hanyoung said, our guild leader isn’t that kind of person. Even though Hunter Kim Minjun is a C-class and quite fragile, this is too much.”

After clearing the Grassland Dungeon, Park Hanyoung, whom they met during their break, suggested a possibility. The guild leader might have feelings for the baby chick and was trying to impress him. Initially, everyone laughed it off, but considering Soohyuk’s behavior during the Grassland guild raid, it seemed plausible. The more they thought about it, the more it made sense.

“Maybe he has some dirt on him?”

Shin Youngjae’s joke was actually the truth, but neither he nor Kim Nayeon knew it.

“That would be interesting.”

“Or maybe they’re really relatives?”

“Anyway, let’s pretend we don’t know. Don’t say anything that might make things awkward. Just quietly observe.”

“I know, I know.”

Whether it was a move, a budding romance, or some leverage, they couldn’t tell for now. So, it was best to be cautious. And watching how far Soohyuk would go was quite entertaining.

The two exchanged knowing glances and smiled.

***

Minjun, who had endured many hardships since childhood, wasn’t bad at reading the room. But becoming an S-class hunter at twenty-two had forced him to become even more perceptive. As he struggled to survive, he had no choice but to do so. For the same reason, he developed political acumen. Many people tried to politically entangle the actions of a powerful S-class hunter.

Because of this, he understood that he couldn’t outright refuse the National Security Agency’s request to join the Poison Jar Dungeon raid. When Soohyuk said he would respect Minjun’s decision, he agreed without hesitation.

The result was now laid out in front of Minjun.

“Take your time to read it and sign.”

Besides Soohyuk, the deputy guild leader, Jung Seongwon, was also present in the guild leader’s office. Since it was a collaboration with a public institution, there were many related documents. Minjun skimmed through them and signed.

When he first came to Earth, he had carelessly used his old signature and had to hurriedly correct it. This time, he was tense and scribbled a new signature. Once the documents were handed over to Jung Seongwon, Soohyuk spoke up.

“Oh, by the way, I’m also going to the Poison Jar Dungeon.”

“What?”

“I’m going too.”

“Why?”

Minjun’s eyes widened at the unexpected news. The request for collaboration had come to him, so why was Soohyuk planning to go to the Poison Jar Dungeon?

“I heard there’s a lot of territorialism there. I got permission from the director. It’s fine.”

“That’s not what I meant… Aren’t you busy?”

“Is that really something you should be saying?”

“Well, when you put it that way, I have no argument. But aren’t you busy, guild leader?”

Minjun asked the deputy guild leader sitting across from him. Jung Seongwon, looking resigned, sighed and answered.

“He is busy. But if our guild leader insists, how can I stop him?”

“See? It’s fine.”

Watching the resigned Seongwon and the beaming Soohyuk, Minjun understood how a tyrannical boss and a beleaguered employee dynamic could develop. It didn’t look fine at all, but he kept his mouth shut, thinking it would only make things worse.

Jung Seongwon gathered the documents and stood up first. Minjun was about to follow when he suddenly remembered something and stayed behind.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

“Yes. I wanted to give you this.”

Minjun handed over something he had prepared in advance. It was a scroll-like item. Jung Seongwon, who was about to leave, paused and looked over, but Minjun felt it was now or never.

“What is this?”

“Check it out.”

“A Scroll of Sweet Dreams? Huh? Where did you get this?”

Soohyuk, who had received the scroll without suspicion, appraised the item and widened his eyes. It was no wonder. The Scroll of Sweet Dreams was an item that allowed for a comfortable sleep.

The usage was simple. Just smear a bit of blood on the end of the scroll with your fingertip, and the user would fall into a deep sleep for six hours.

It wasn’t an incredibly powerful or amazing item. However, many people suffered from insomnia, making the Scroll of Sweet Dreams quite popular. In the other world, they even created magical tools with a similar, albeit inferior, skill. The Scroll of Sweet Dreams was an item that didn’t exist on Earth yet. So Minjun smiled innocently, pretending to know nothing.

“I got it after defeating a boss yesterday.”

“Which one?”

“The Split-Tailed Spotted Snake.”

Minjun lied smoothly. Items obtained in dungeons could be verified through logs, but boss rewards were an exception. So he picked a suitable boss.

“I only got snake skin. Why are you giving this to me? It could sell for a good price.”

“It’s a gift.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been receiving so much. The guild leader has given me plenty of money, and it’s good to have something like this as insurance. I noticed you don’t sleep well. Oh, and you don’t have to return it. I sleep really well.”

Worried that Soohyuk might try to return it, Minjun quickly added an explanation. Although he had fallen asleep first that night, he could tell Soohyuk hadn’t slept well. Even during the Grassland Dungeon raid, Soohyuk barely slept.

For an S-class hunter, not sleeping for a few days wasn’t a big issue, but if Soohyuk had insomnia, this would be very useful. It was the perfect reciprocation for the gift set he received during the New Year.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

Having achieved his goal, Minjun bowed and left the guild leader’s office. Soohyuk stood there, holding the scroll with a strange feeling.

Soohyuk had grown up as the beloved youngest child in a wealthy family, receiving many expensive gifts from a young age. This only intensified after becoming an S-class hunter. But this was the first time he had received a gift with such meaning.