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Translator: penny
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Hong Si-jun, Gyu Yeon-su
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I'd been invited to Hong Si-jun's house—not just me, but every member of our Kang Jik Guild.
"Welcome."
"Hello."
"Thank you so much for inviting us!! Wow, your house is gorgeous."
The official reason was gratitude for our help with the Hanlim Guild's dungeon raid not long ago—they wanted to treat us to a meal as payback.
The issue was that Lee Soo-ah hadn't been there back then.
"Hello, Soo-ah. I'm a huge fan."
"Ah. Thank you. Want me to sign something?"
"Really? Just a sec...!"
From Gyu Yeon-su's reaction, I could guess the reason well enough.
The place looked around 80 pyeong—plenty spacious, so adding four more people didn't make it feel crowded at all.
Maybe because I'd been to so many ritzy homes lately, nothing about it really wowed me.
Just the bare minimum you'd expect from an SSS-grade hunter couple.
It wasn't a housewarming anyway, so no one bothered gawking around. We all just settled at the massive eight-seater table in the kitchen.
"I didn't prepare much, but eat up."
This was pretty much the first time I'd had a proper conversation with Gyu Yeon-su—our paths had barely crossed before.
Well, could you even call this a conversation?
One greeting at the Hunter Association, and now this—still just hellos.
Her words, delivered with a gentle smile, carried the refined grace I'd imagined.
She had this aura straight out of a Dongtan new-town housewife fantasy—hard not to stare.
Sorry to Han Semi, but age was undeniable: she gave off that similar vibe at first, but a peer like her had this tantalizing allure just in looking.
Of course, that was as far as imagination went.
No matter my reproduction abilities, I lived by society's rules.
Not that I had room to talk after knocking up my sister.
Strictly speaking, Kang Hana wasn't blood-related, so it worked.
Gyu Yeon-su already had a mate, and she wasn't the type to spread her legs just because I wanted a taste.
Why covet more from an SSS-grade hunter?
Hunters' greed knew no bounds, sure—but with her already married to Hong Si-jun, risking that for an affair? Unthinkable from my angle.
Especially with those piercing eyes, that late-180s height, and shoulders like a brick wall. One wrong glance from an SS-grade stamina beast like Hong Si-jun, and I'd be quartered alive.
"Sorry for the late greeting. Thanks to you, Yeon-su survived, and we cleared the SS-grade dungeon too. I figured I should tell you in person, so I was a bit delayed. We're holding the SS-grade mana stone for disposal. For Hyeji's share, cash or stones—whatever you prefer."
Pasta, steak, wine.
As we dug into the table laden with food, Hong Si-jun led with his thanks.
Talking business at a casual dinner could feel awkward, but he brought it up lightly, so I could respond in kind.
"Stones, please. Mix of B- and A-grades to match the value."
"...Not S-grade?"
"Yeah, I've got plenty of those. Need some lower ones."
"...Got it."
Hong Si-jun eyed me with mild surprise before nodding.
He'd probably guessed we'd used S-grades for whatever chaos we'd pulled off.
Hunter Association folks had likely heard the rumors floating around about me—top hunters anyway.
Maybe Team Leader Kim had subtly leaked what I'd said about "seeing" things.
S-grades were great for general use, but for P and skill growth, B- and A-grades were more efficient. Stock up while freebies rolled in.
The rest of the chat was mostly driven by Hong Si-jun.
Honestly, our curiosity about him and Gyu Yeon-su boiled down to...
"How'd you two meet and get married?"
"Hunter blind date?"
"Who confessed first?"
Just that fresh, early-twenties nosiness. Nothing hunter-specific to probe.
They clearly wanted something, using thanks as an excuse for the invite. Mostly, we answered—me, specifically.
"Planning to keep running as a mercenary guild?"
"You take most jobs from Semi Guild... We'd love to build ties with Hanlim too."
Simple stuff ramped up to job talk.
I'd half-expected it, and his earnest pitch didn't scream red flags, so I didn't shut it down.
"Sure. Pay fair, and requests from a guild with two solid SSS-grades? Always welcome."
One accident aside, clearing an SS-grade brute-force showed real chops.
I'd glimpsed their dungeon setup before popping Resurrection in the gate—not bad at all.
More gigs from everywhere? The merrier.
Let you pick and choose what you want.
By then, guys bonding over guild talk man-to-man, women sipping wine and gossiping girl-style—buzz starting to hit.
"I heard Kang Hana awakened SSS-grade abilities too."
"Ah, just lucky."
"...That luck... Doesn't it show up for you, Jik?"
Hong Si-jun dropped the real reason for calling us—me—over.
Off the record.
Backstage history, tales never passed down—they hooked you more than you'd think.
Stories not meant for the public brimmed with scandal and thrill.
Like a straight-laced official's dirty secrets.
Or pure actress Lee Soo-ah secretly popping out two kids already, loving raw creampies straight to the womb.
Info that couldn't leak—so few knew, or none.
Hearing that stuff meant power, position, access.
I'd lived without it—basement dweller, trawling Hunter Gallery fakes, devouring concept posts.
Or scouting galleries for juicy bait. What secret scoops does a nobody like that get?
Who's cheating with who.
celeb dating rumors.
By the time spicy gossip hit my ears, even the neighbor's dog knew.
Probably why.
Hong Si-jun's careful probe—tying Kang Hana's awakening to his question about me—piqued my interest so much.
"What do you mean, 'seeing luck'?"
I played dumb first.
Didn't matter where he heard or guessed—my ability stayed off-record, even the smokescreen version.
No more official word from me, except to Kim Gap-su.
Hong Si-jun knew that, so no rush. He laid out what he knew, slow and steady.
"I've kept an eye on you, Jik. Hwaseong, after. Saintess's awakening? Maybe not. But Soo-ah's? Anyone from Hwaseong suspects something."
"...Really?"
"She's close to the Saintess, sure... But looking back, every common thread leads to you. Even Hana this time."
"Could be Hyeji-related too, no?"
No chimp would miss it naturally, so I didn't force a denial.
Wasn't the point anyway.
"Plus, overheard from Team Leader Kim. Sorry. Desperation got the best of me..."
"Ah."
Hong Si-jun hated beating around the bush.
Figured stonewalling led nowhere.
So he spilled straight.
'Seeing' was Kim-exclusive intel, so yeah, I'd half-anticipated it.
I feigned mild discomfort, set down my wine. He eased into the crux.
"How does it work? Just spotting potential? Or boosting odds with mana stones too? That's what I want to know. Secret dies with me. Name your price—even my whole fortune."
Deadly serious tone, terms.
Face flushed, but an SS-stamina hunter drunk off a few glasses? Absurd.
Pure liquid courage—nothing more, nothing less. Made it hit harder.
"Tough to share details without a why first. Who's itching for an awakening? You're already SSS ability, SS skills..."
Hunter greed's endless.
Like Im Hyeji and Lee Soo-ah grinding pregnancies for double SSS.
Not weird if Hong Si-jun craved it too.
But his eyes held no greed.
They drifted to Gyu Yeon-su in the living room, giggling with the girls over a board game.
"My wife. Yeon-su's ability."
"..."
Worry, love, desperation—all in that gaze.
Off the record.
An SSS-grade hunter's untold tale slipped out.
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