Chapter 82

Chapter 82

The reason Wang Yongsik clutched the back of his neck and groaned was because appraisal certificates were also difficult to obtain.

Most items 5-Star and above required appraisal.

The Runes and items a Hunter could verify the options of with their own two eyes were not that many.

Except for Runes and items obtainable from specific monsters or locations......

"I don't have any in stock right now. It's not like that many Hunters come looking for appraisal certificates. As you know, appraisal certificates are expensive and in high demand, so there are hardly any on the market."

"That's true."

"I'll acquire some for now."

"Understood."

"Anything else you need? If so, say it now."

At that, Wang Hyoeun subtly produced a pen and notebook and held them out to Eunseong.

"Write it down here."

"Sure."

Eunseong jotted down the items he needed and handed the notebook to Wang Yongsik.

"Etherium grenades, smoke grenades, flashbangs. Those are nothing. But why do you need the blueprints for a Desert Eagle?"

"Who knows."

"Don't tell me you're trying to make a gun?"

Wang Yongsik eyed Eunseong with a suspicious gaze.

"I'd advise against such lunacy. Plenty of Hunters have lost their hands trying to build guns that fire Etherium rounds."

There had been countless attempts to build guns that used Etherium as ammunition.

But no one had ever succeeded, and most cases ended with the barrel bursting or the gun itself exploding, blowing off not just hands but faces as well.

"I know that much, so don't worry."

"If you say so, I'll get it for you. Though, this will take a few days as well."

"It's not urgent, so take your time."

"Anything else?"

"Not for me, but I want to buy some gear for my friend over there."

Eunseong pointed at Duhyeon.

"M-me?"

"Yeah."

"Why me......"

"You never know. You could get caught up in a firefight like last time, so the least I can do is cover your equipment costs."

"Thank you, boss."

Duhyeon flashed a grin.

***

A few days later.

30 minutes.
Rooftop.
Bring your gear.

Upon receiving Eunseong's text, Ra Sihyeon headed straight for the rooftop Helipad.

Kim Duhyeon was already there, waiting in full gear.

"You're Duhyeon, right?"

"Ah, yes. Kim Duhyeon."

"Where's Eunseong?"

"He'll be here soon, so just wait a moment."

About five minutes passed.

WHIRRRRR—!

With its distinctive rotor sound, a black Little Bird helicopter flew in toward the Helipad.

Seated in the cockpit was Eunseong, wearing a pilot headset.

"Get on."

"Yessir!"

Duhyeon swiftly loaded the gear onto the helicopter, donned his harness, and perched himself on the helicopter's bench.

"What are you doing? Get on."

"You can fly a helicopter too?"

"Yeah."

"Where on earth did you even get a helicopter......"

"Get on and I'll tell you."

"Oh, okay."

"Duhyeon, help her out."

At Eunseong's words, Kim Duhyeon showed Ra Sihyeon everything from how to strap on a harness to how to wear the headset.

WHIRRRRR—!

The Little Bird helicopter lifted off.

"When did you learn to fly a helicopter?"

"A while back."

"A while back......?"

Eunseong answered in his head.

'Back when you were still running around cleaning up other people's messes.'

The reason Eunseong could operate not only helicopters but also trains and ships was purely because he had been a Supporter.

Supporters were, by nature, versatile.

Because they had to support their teammates with extensive knowledge and diverse skills......

High-level Supporters served as pathfinders inside Gates, crafted items, and compiled and analyzed gathered intelligence to even chart the future course for their teams.

It was entirely possible that the team Eunseong had belonged to had risen to become the strongest in humanity purely thanks to his supporting capabilities.

"Duhyeon."

"Yes, boss."

"I'll be the one flying for now, but eventually you'll have to take over."

"......Me?"

Kim Duhyeon pointed at himself with a look that asked what on earth Eunseong was talking about, blinking in disbelief.

"You think the manager should fly it and me, the Hunter, should do it myself?"

"Th-that's not what I meant, but......"

"I'll register you at an aviation academy under your name, so go and learn. Even setting me aside, knowing how to fly will come in handy in all sorts of ways."

"Thank you, boss!"

Kim Duhyeon's grin stretched from ear to ear.

In this day and age, what employer spent their own money to send their employee to an aviation academy?

This was a level of benefits that even most major corporations couldn't hold a candle to.

Of course, since tagging along with a Hunter like Eunseong would put his life at risk more than a few times, it could fairly be considered a sort of hazard pay.

"So where are we headed?"

"Bucheon."

"Bucheon......?"

"You're entering the SFTC soon, right?"

Eunseong had received an official document from the Defense Strategy Department exempting him from Special Force Training Center education.

But Ra Sihyeon was different.

She still had much to learn.

During the Jebudo incident, she had been not only unskilled with firearms but hadn't even known how to strap on a harness and perch on a helicopter.

"I go in ten days."

"Wouldn't it be nice to gain some real combat experience and grow stronger before then?"

"You're going to teach me?"

"Why, don't want to?"

"No, I'd love that."

"Then that's settled."

"But, Big Brother."

"Yeah."

"Why are you so nice to me?"

Eunseong answered in his head again.

'Because if you go astray, I'll have to kill you with my own hands again.'

He had already killed her once. There was nothing stopping him from doing it a second time.

His hands were already as blood-stained as they could get—a bit more wouldn't change anything.

'Still, I can at least give her a chance.'

That said, Eunseong held Ra Sihyeon's talent in high regard.

She was one of only three Mage-class Hunters who would one day reach 10-Star.

Because Eunseong knew her value better than anyone, he intended to keep her close and watch over her for the time being.

"Big Brother......?"

"Do you need a reason?"

"Huh?"

"Do you think my mother would be nice to you because she wanted something from you?"

"That's...... no."

"Judge for yourself, and act on your own. Don't ask me."

"Okaaay......"

Ra Sihyeon answered in a voice that trailed off into nothing.

"So where are we going, exactly? Based on the direction, it seems like we're heading west."

"Bucheon Station."

"Ugh."

At Eunseong's answer, Kim Duhyeon looked like he was about to throw up.

The things he had experienced in Bucheon were still vivid in his mind—so much so that he'd had nightmares about it just last night.

***

Contrary to Kim Duhyeon's expectations, the area around Bucheon Station had undergone many changes.

BEEP, BEEP.

VROOM.

Various pieces of heavy construction equipment were carrying out demolition work on collapsed buildings throughout the area. Soldiers with rifles and armored vehicles stood guard on every street, and surveillance drones flew back and forth, monitoring for any potential violence or incidents.

There was even what appeared to be a contingent of security forces deployed near City Hall in the distance, as if National Assembly Members had come to visit.

"Boss, it looks like what you did is having an effect."

"What we did."

"Huh?"

"You were part of it too."

"Heheh."

Kim Duhyeon scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Since the incident blew up, the government has no choice but to at least pretend they're paying attention for a while."

Of course, deploying recovery personnel and troops to maintain public order in Bucheon meant that gaps would inevitably open up in other regions. That went without saying.

In times like these, manpower and resources were finite, after all.

But considering the suffering and hardship the citizens of Bucheon must have endured, they deserved the government's support.

Even if only for a short while.

"In the end, a city's fate rests in the hands of its citizens. The government can only provide the bare minimum of help. If all else fails, the people need to at least make the effort to form vigilante groups and take action themselves."

The Little Bird touched down in an open lot about one kilometer from Bucheon Station.

"Sir, if you leave the helicopter here......"

"What helicopter?"

As soldiers approached, Eunseong tucked the helicopter into a card and played dumb.

"Huh?"

"Wh-what just happened?"

As if their eyes had malfunctioned, the soldiers looked around in bewilderment.

"Well then, keep up the hard work. Let's go."

"Yes, boss."

"Okay."

Eunseong headed toward Bucheon Station with Ra Sihyeon and Kim Duhyeon in tow.

"The hell does this bastard think he's doing, walking around flashing his tattoos!"

"You punk bastard! So what if I've got tattoos? Hah! You want to get beat?!"

THWACK—! THWACK—! THWACK THWACK THWACK—!

"I-I'm sorry! AAARGH!"

Along the way, a group wearing Bridal Masks was beating a tattooed pig in neon shorts and an Under Armour shirt senseless with clubs.

THWACK—! THWACK—! CRACK—! THWACK THWACK THWACK—!

"AAARGH! AAAAAAARGH!"

They were beating him so indiscriminately that it looked like they were tenderizing a pork loin to make tonkatsu.

"Folks, take it easy."

"Just don't kill him. If this guy dies, it only makes our jobs harder. Please."

The soldiers on patrol for public order gave the Bridal Mask group nothing more than a verbal warning, showing not the slightest intention of intervening.

"Things are going the right way. Maybe there's hope for Bucheon after all."

Eunseong spoke as if the future was worth looking forward to.

"I couldn't agree more, boss."

Kim Duhyeon nodded emphatically.

"Why not just make it a law? Lock up thugs like that on some island and put them to forced labor. That'd be perfect."

Ra Sihyeon said with a frown.

"If it were possible, they'd have done it long ago."

"It can't be done?"

"There'd be all kinds of problems. People would abuse it too. If things like that could make thugs disappear, the world wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Is that how it works......?"

"Since the dawn of humanity, gangsters have existed in every era without exception."

"But......"

"And there have always been people who catch those gangsters too. Then and now."

"Aah."

"It's a fight that'll never end as long as humanity endures. The fight between those who try to take and those who try to protect. Whatever that may be."

"Then which side are you on, Big Brother?"

"Depends on the time."

Eunseong gave a short answer and kept walking.

After walking for a while, a sign reading [Restricted Zone] appeared, along with a barrier wrapped in layer upon layer of fences and barbed wire, blocking Eunseong's party.

The outskirts of Bucheon Station.

It meant they had arrived near the Gate.

There were no more construction vehicles or civilians in sight.

Instead, fully armed soldiers were stationed at regular intervals, and surveillance drones traced systematic orbits overhead.

"We'll need to conduct an inspection. May I see your identification?"

Past the checkpoint, an open clearing came into view.

The clearing was equipped with various facilities: a pay shower, restrooms, food trucks, rest rooms, and a field emergency room capable of performing emergency surgeries.

And dozens of Hunters were scattered about in small clusters here and there.

Some sat on the ground maintaining their weapons, while others stood in front of a food truck eating tacos to fill their bellies.

"Anyone here with healing abilities?!"

"Skilled shooters welcome!"

The voices of Hunters seeking companions could be heard echoing from all directions.

"This is the Bucheon Grind Haunt, right?"

"Pfft!"

At Ra Sihyeon's words, Eunseong let out a laugh.

"Grind Haunt, huh. Whoever came up with that really nailed it. Yeah, this is the Bucheon Grind Haunt."

Eunseong swallowed his laughter and nodded.