MDITS Chapter 4

A taxi was crossing the Cheonho Bridge.

Cha Yeji glanced at Do-jun, seating next to her.

Do-jun was muttering inaudible words while looking at a pile of papers.

She was trying to comprehend what just happened 20 minutes ago.

＊ ＊ ＊

“What? You don’t have to strain yourself. Mr. Do-jun.”

Kwon Hyuk-soo grinned.

Do-jun couldn’t even find his own desk right now in the office, what more to deal with basic administrative systems.

Furthermore, it would be a stupid idea to send a person who had been in intensive care until yesterday to a Rift now, even if it’s an F-class one.

“T-that’s right, Do-jun. Think of it as learning step-by-step from the beginning. Also, that hunter has already given the letter of transfer to Hyuk-soo in the City Hall.”

Do-jun looked around.

All of the staff in the department, including the chief, were looking at him.

Some people chatted over each other’s faces, pretending to be doing tasks while eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I can understand why you think I’m not trustworthy. It’s natural for everyone to think that way. However, please trust me this time.”

“……”

“Please help me to be part of the team once again.”

At that remark,

Kwon Hyuk-soo, who had been absent-minded for a while, smiled.

He then walked to a cabinet, picked up a file, and handed it to Do-jun.

 <Transfer of Rift Exploration Operations>

“Hey! Kwon Hyuk-soo! What are you doing?”

“Chief… he’s also part of our team, right?”

“Y-yes, he is.”

“I can understand why you’re anxious, as the chief of this department, you hold a lot of responsibility. Also, all of us are constantly on the edge in case an emergency or an accident happens. However, let’s be honest now…”

Kwon Hyuk-soo looked at each and every one of them.

“Is there anyone who thought of Do-jun as a real team member?”

Everyone avoided eye contact with him.

Kang Chul-soo’s face turned red and raised his voice.

“Hey… You! O-Of course! He’s our youngest!”

“When Mr. Do-jun was seriously injured! When he was unconscious… didn’t someone say during lunch that maybe we should just hire a new employee? At that time, did anyone ever get mad when you heard that? Everyone agreed with it all inside, right?”

Kwon Hyuk-soo’s words brought the entire atmosphere of the office in shambles.

Then a female employee stood up and shouted.

“No, Mr. Hyuk-soo. How can you say that? When did we ever think of that…?”

“Let’s just be honest! We…”

Kwon Hyuk-soo raised his voice, and it was audible in the other departments. The staff from other departments rose from their seats and looked at their way with a puzzled look.

“When Mr. Do-jun came in, honestly, I was really annoyed. I thought he was just a burden. How could a person like him be hired in this industry? I was resentful to the HR department because of that! I can’t even answer the phone properly because I have to teach him every now and then. Then, when I go back to my conversation on the phone, I would lose track of the conversation at hand! He doesn’t seem to exert effort at all, and when the other employees are still at work, he gets off at exactly six o’clock!”

Kwon Hyuk-soo’s shoulders were jittering as he was airing out his sentiments.

He then brushed his hair and took a big breath and began sulking.

“And until now, I still hate him. It’s because he doesn’t really express himself, but it’s about to change. He’s now trying his best. If we keep treating him the same, this situation would also continue to be the same in the future.”

Do-jun received the document from Kwon Hyuk-soo and held it in his hand.

“Do-jun would now become my successor. Chief, no, everyone. I’ll take all the responsibility. So just once… please believe in us just this once.”

Kwon Hyuk-soo bowed his head.

Tap tap.

Do-jun stood next to Kwon Hyuk-soo, then bowed his head and lowered his back to 90 degrees.

Seeing it, Kang Chul-soo gave an awkward laugh.

“Go. Lee Do-jun.”

After a while,

Do-jun went to the City Hall alongside Cha Yeji and left the office.

“Hey, Kwon Hyuk-soo!”

At Kang Chul-soo’s call, Kwon Hyuk-soo jumped up from his seat and ran towards him.

“Yes, chief.”

“You bastard! You know what I said at that time was for your own sake. Ms. Soo-yeon felt sorry for you.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s already done. There’s no use crying over spilled milk. Let’s see if the seeds we sowed will reap us great benefits.”

＊ ＊ ＊

Tak.

Do-jun closed the folder and put it back in his briefcase.

After giving it a quick reading for five times, he was able to quickly understand the nature of his work. His main task was to acquire information on Rifts.

Originally, this work was carried out by subcontracting the Hunter Association, but the government began to work directly due to widespread corruption issues, including the falsifying of documents regarding the disputes over interests between large guilds.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t formally introduced ourselves. My name is Lee Do-jun.”

“I-I’m Cha Yeji! I am 21 years old.”

“I’m sorry about what happened earlier.”

“Oh, no, it’s alright!”

Do-jun’s eyes were then drawn towards a suit carrier at Cha Yeji’s foot.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, this? It’s a suitcase. My armor and weapon are inside here. It’s a must-have item when fighting monsters.”

Kiiik.

Soon the taxi arrived at their destination.

A quaint park in the neighborhood within Myeongil-dong, Gangdong-gu.

This is where an F-class Rift appeared.

Mumble mumble.

There was a large crowd in the area.

A staff member dispatched from the Hunter Association, the military, and the police were taking control of the crowd in order to prevent ordinary citizens from accidentally entering the Rifts.

Thud.

Cha Yeji put her suitcase down on the floor and took out its contents.

Inside it contained a sword and a small bead.

Cha Yeji took out the bead and brought it to her chest.

Then the suit, which had been compressed into the bead, naturally covered her whole body.

It was a full-body hunter tights plaid with silicon-like substances covered in white.

It was a suit worn by hunters in combat.

“Woah.”

Do-jun exclaimed in admiration at the suit for its novelty.

How can such clothes come out of that little bead?

“Hehe. You’ve never seen something like this before?”

“Yes. It’s amazing.”

“It’s the lowest-grade suit you can get from a factory, but it’s still worth three million won. Very expensive, right?”

“Yeah. What about your sword?”

“This is a D-class sword from a Skeleton Soldier. This one is not that quite expensive. Maybe about 250,000 won? Rumor has it that Skeleton Soldiers carved their own bones to make this one. It’s quite sharp and has good piercing power.”

Do-jun nodded.

However, to be honest, he was not really much interested in it.

No matter how expensive the suit she wears or the sword she uses.

She was just a contracted hunter for Do-jun.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“Then, let’s go.”

“Okay. Oh, what should I call you?”

“You decide, I don’t mind.”

Do-jun took out his government ID and approached the staff who controlled the gates.

Cha Yeji, who was chasing after Dojun, said with a smile,

“Then I’ll call you Manager because you manage the Rifts.”

“Mhm, that’s fine.”

An employee from the Hunter Management Bureau checked Do-jun’s ID, and then he put his thumb on the fingerprint scanner.

[Rift Management Department, Mr. Lee Do-jun. Confirmed.]

“You may now enter.”

The employee smiled and stretched his hands towards the Rift.

Cha Yeji swallowed her saliva as she looked at the Rift which was about ten meters from the ground.

It might be an F-class one, but it was still her first time to enter a Rift alone.

Of course, they were two, including Do-jun, but she excluded him because she thought he was only an ordinary person.

It was then…

“Hey, hey, hey, look who’s here.”

That a deep male voice was heard from behind them.

Cha Yeji’s shoulders trembled slightly when she heard it.

It was a voice which belonged to someone she never wanted to meet.

As she turned around, she saw a man walking in together with his entourage.

Cha Yeji then bowed her head.

“It’s been a long time, right? I thought you gave up being a Hunter. But I guess I was wrong?”

That man, who was dressed in a suit adorned with sparkling gold and was wearing sunglasses, stood tall in front of Cha Yeji and grinned. He then tilted his head as he saw Do-jun standing next to Cha Yeji.

“Did you also join a guild?”

“…Y-yes.”

“Oh? There’s still a place that accepts you? You can’t even use mana.”

The man scanned Do-jun from head to toe.

Do-jun looked at Cha Yeji and said,

“Do you know him?”

“…Yes. We are from the same academy… we both aspired to become Hunters…”

As she said those words, that man saw Do-jun’s government ID hanging around his neck.

Then, that man burst into laughter.

“HAHAHAHA! So you’re a contracted hunter now? Well, I’m sure no guild accepted you. Pft. Looking at the fact that you’re here means you’re surely an F-class Hunter. No, you don’t have mana, so of course, you’re definitely an F-class.”

“……”

Do-jun could see Cha Yeji’s legs were shaking.

However, it has nothing to do with himself.

Not only did he not know what the two have been like in the past, but even if he does, Do-jun and Cha Yeji were simply employers and contractors. There was no reason for Do-jun to step up for her…

“That’s enough. It doesn’t look good.“

However, Do-jun snapped at that man.

He then frowned and grabbed Do-jun by the collar.

He was a D-class Hunter himself, and his opponent was a civil servant at best.

There was nothing to feel inferior for.

“What would you then, huh?”

“M-manager!”

Cha Yeji’s eyes widened and then rushed at her old colleague.

– If you don’t let go of your hand in three seconds, I will not look lightly on you trifling me.

<Sound Dominance>

The man shuddered as he heard a voice ringing inside his head.

And when their eyes met, he immediately fell back.

Drip.

Then, he began to piss himself.

Do-jun brushed off his shirt and straightened his tie.

He then approached the man sitting on the ground and reached out his hand.

“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? Can you get up?”

For others, it was a heartwarming sight. However, in that man’s eyes, Do-jun felt like an incomprehensible demon of great power in human skin.

And when their eyes met…

Drip.

He pissed on his pants once again.

Do-jun smiled at the pitiful scene and then turned towards Cha Yeji.

“We’ve been delayed too much. Let’s go now.”

Cha Yeji glanced at the sprawling man before following Do-jun inside the Rift.

＊ ＊ ＊

“Hey! What’s wrong with you!”

“Na Han-jung, did you eat something bad?”

The fellow guild members of that man, Na Han-jung, looked incomprehensible.

“…monster.”

“What?”

“That, that bastard! He’s a monster! How could one look at his eyes…?”

Na Han-jung thought that,

If he pulled out even a second late,

He might have died.