The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low – Chapter 27

Author: nicotine

11:48 PM, Awakened Management Agency Field Response Team 1 office. Despite the late hour, the spacious office was brightly lit.

“Team Leader, would you like some snacks?”

“Ah, yes. Just bring me an energy bar.”

The diligent civil servant Jeongbin had volunteered for duty today. It wasn’t that there was overtime or urgent work, but there was something he always did around this time.

―Now, there’s really not much time left. We’ll be able to check the new rankings in 12 minutes! I’m truly curious to see how the system has ranked everyone.

Today was the long-awaited ranking refresh day that every hunter had been waiting for. Jeongbin kept one hand in his pocket, held an empty paper cup in the other, and chewed on it a couple of times with his front teeth.

Once a year, the system comprehensively evaluates awakened individuals’ abilities and achievements and assigns rankings to all of them. Both newly debuted hunters and existing ones had been waiting for this ranking refresh day.

The new ranking was proof of ability, and depending on that ranking, it determined whether they could join a new guild or land new advertising deals.

However, since there were quite a few cases of hunters causing disturbances when they didn’t get the ranking they wanted, the Awakened Management Agency entered emergency response mode around this time. The two announcers on screen pointed at the data and spoke.

―The system’s ranking calculation method hasn’t been clearly disclosed, but it’s understood to consider not only grade but also the hunter’s activities over the past year.

―That’s why an A-rank awakened individual can rank higher than an S-rank. There have been many hunters who appeared like comets over the past year and delivered brilliant performances. This year’s rankings might see quite significant changes.

―Nevertheless, experts predicted that the top tier—that is, up to the top 20—would see little change. Let’s take a look at the projected rankings.

Lee Sayoung (S)
Matthew—Mok Taeo (S)
Jeongbin (S)
Gyugyu—Ban Gyumin (S)
Honeybee—Yoo Chaehyun (A)
Doctor—Nam Woojin (A)
IAmACraftsman—Hong Yeseong (S)
Ham Seokjeong (A)
Song Joheon (S)
Shield Guy—Bae Wonwoo (A)
:

―Oh, the projected rankings… they’re no different from the current rankings. So the prediction is that there will be no changes at all?

―Yes, that’s right. It’s been that way for the past two years as well.

‘All familiar faces.’

“Team Leader, here you go.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Jeongbin and his team member stood side by side in front of the monitor and began eating their energy bars. The team member who had checked the projected rankings asked.

“Do you also think the rankings will stay the same as projected, Team Leader?”

“Hmm… Yes.”

For the past two years, the rankings up to 10th place had not changed. Since top-ranked hunters are more active, their innate stats naturally have a greater impact. So, as the panelists said, there would likely be no ranking changes this year either.

Full-scale generational shifts happen starting from the mid-tier. Everyone thought so, and Jeongbin agreed.

“If Honeybee-nim obtains an S-rank weapon, that might be a different story, but for now, it seems this year’s rankings will stay as they are.”

Just as he had briefly satisfied his hunger and was folding up the empty wrapper like a note—

Poof, a sound like fireworks bursting in the air. Jeongbin flinched and looked up at the suddenly appearing white window.

[Ranking Change!]

[Check now?]

A sound he hadn’t heard in nearly two years. It was the notification that only played when there was a change in the rankings. Soon after, a slight crack appeared on Jeongbin’s face as he confirmed the rankings.

Rank 4. He had been 2nd even when J was active, briefly rose to 1st after J’s death, but then dropped back to 2nd with Lee Sayoung’s emergence. The label of ‘perpetual runner-up’ had been somewhat bothersome, but then another S-rank, Mok Taeo, appeared, and even that position had dropped another notch.

And now he was down another spot to 4th. There were only two scenarios in which the rankings could change:

A new 1st or 2nd place had been born, or the existing 1st or 2nd place had died.

Either way, it was an event that would cause massive repercussions. And soon, Jeongbin… encountered a third scenario he had never anticipated.

[Region: Republic of Korea

J
Lee Sayoung ▼1
Matthew—Mok Taeo ▼1
Jeongbin ▼1
Gyugyu ▼1
Honeybee ▼1
Doctor ▼1
IAmACraftsman ▼1
Ham Seokjeong ▼1
Song Joheon ▼1
Shield Guy ▼1]

The rankings had all dropped by one from the projections, and in 1st place was—

That name everyone knew, J.

Though eight years had passed since that day, his name could still be heard everywhere. In documentaries about the Incheon Rift, in history books covering the Day of the Rift, and even in childish internet arguments about who the world’s strongest was.

He had died in the Rift eight years ago. That was what was known. No one had seen his body, but the Rift had closed, and his name had disappeared from the hunter rankings. Moreover, since a closed Rift never reopened, no one doubted his death.

But now, J had suddenly appeared in the rankings.

What this meant was—

―Huh? No, what is this!

―Hold on. The number one is…

―Has the number one changed?

―It says J?

J is alive.

And perhaps he was still inside the Incheon Rift.

‘In the worst case… the Incheon Rift may have reappeared.’

The smile vanished from Jeongbin’s face. His team member, having also checked the rankings, stammered.

“T-Team Leader.”

Jeongbin grabbed his suit jacket hanging on the chair and strode toward the door. The team member hurriedly followed.

“No, Team Leader! What is this… Did I see that correctly?”

“How many personnel can we mobilize immediately?”

“Uh, excluding those on standby in the field… about ten in total.”

“Leave only the minimum personnel and have everyone head to Incheon. Also, tell all field standby personnel to move as well.”

“Incheon?”

“Yes. To the Incheon Rift.”

“Understood!”

“The Director will issue media response guidelines. Tell the remaining staff to respond according to those guidelines….”

Before Jeongbin’s instructions had even finished, his pager went off. He trailed off slightly, confirmed with a glance that the team member understood, and pressed the receive button.

[Director Ham Seokjeong]

A gentle middle-aged woman’s voice came through the speaker.

―Team Leader Jeong.

“Yes, Director.”

―Good work staying late. Did you see the rankings?

“I saw them. I’m about to depart for Incheon right now.”

―Good. I trust you know what needs to be done.

“Yes. After confirming whether the West Sea Rift has reappeared, I will search the surrounding area, keeping in mind the possibility of J and other hunters’ survival.”

―If J is not in the West Sea. And if the Rift hasn’t reopened…

A brief silence fell. Ham Seokjeong, the head of the Awakened Management Agency, said firmly.

―You must find him.

“Yes.”

―By any means necessary.

∞ ∞ ∞

Incheon, in front of the memorial monument.

Jeongbin straightened his hair, which had been tousled from jumping out of the helicopter, and quickened his pace. His destination was the cape where the memorial monument stood.

At the monument, which stood tall with a clear view of the sea, there was already a visitor. Thanks to his stature, a head taller than most, it wasn’t hard to recognize who it was even from a distance. Jeongbin caught his breath for a moment and approached the dark silhouette.

“Mr. Lee Sayoung.”

“…”

Lee Sayoung, with both hands in his pockets, was staring intently at the top of the memorial monument. At first glance, he appeared calm, but Jeongbin sensed it instinctively.

‘He’s completely lost it.’

An unruly aura—whether uncontained or simply not contained—visibly rippled. Strong enough that a weak person wouldn’t be able to endure it and would lose consciousness. Jeongbin sent a hand signal to the team members behind him. A sign to block anyone from approaching.

The team members dispersed in perfect unison. Near Lee Sayoung in this state, neither reporters nor ordinary hunters could be allowed. The pressure, sharp enough to tear a person apart at any moment, weighed down the air. Jeongbin stood three steps behind and watched Lee Sayoung.

Lee Sayoung, who had been silent, spoke.

“The Rift?”

He meant whether they had come to check the Rift. Jeongbin answered without easing his tension.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“It didn’t open.”

“…”

Lee Sayoung gestured pointedly with his chin toward the calm sea. Under the moonlight, waves were gently breaking. His gaze remained fixed on the single letter inscribed at the very top of the monument.

Originally, the Incheon Rift had been jointly managed by the Crack Management Agency and the Awakened Management Agency. The scale of the Rift and the scars it had left were too great to hand over management rights to a single guild, and no guild had stepped forward to bid for it anyway. After that disaster in the West Sea, no one wanted to store a bomb that could go off at any moment.

But one day, Lee Sayoung appeared and, in exchange for sharing research results from the Pado Guild’s affiliated institute, demanded ownership of the Incheon Rift from the government. Since it was already a headache, the government didn’t even bother pretending to deliberate and transferred the bomb to the Pado Guild.

From that day on, Jeongbin had harbored one small question.

‘Why did Lee Sayoung take ownership of the Incheon Rift?’

And now. Why was Lee Sayoung here? Because he feared an anomaly at the guild-owned Rift? Because of the rage from losing the number-one spot to J?

“Since you’ve confirmed it, go back and manage your own hunters.”

“…”

It was a clear dismissal. The gas mask’s gaze shifted from the monument to a spot in the air slightly off to the side. He was probably looking at the same thing Jeongbin was.

+82 [CH.1] 《J has entered the channel.》

J had appeared in the channel.

Could he be nearby? Having confirmed the Rift’s safety, it was time for the second mission. Just as he moved his fingertips slightly to issue instructions—

“Stop before I break your fingers.”

A languid voice murmured.

“Tell Ham Seokjeong.”

“…”

“The ownership of the Incheon Rift belongs to the Pado Guild.”

“…”

Slowly turning around, Lee Sayoung faced Jeongbin. Ah, Jeongbin suddenly realized.

“Everything that comes out of the Rift….”

Lee Sayoung,

“is mine.”

Was for this day….