Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Gulp.

I fervently prayed that the sound of me swallowing saliva wouldn’t reach Kang Yoon-soo. 

For a moment, captivated by his appearance, I almost nodded in agreement, but I managed to gather my senses. 

I couldn’t predict what he might bring up during the meal, using the excuse of a simple meal as an opportunity.

‘…But there’s no immediate way to catch that real estate agent.’

No matter how much I interrogated, there were limitations, and it was a time-consuming task. 

Even if I were to use the ‘door leading to reality’ again, I knew my physical abilities couldn’t catch up.

But what if Kang Yoon-soo, who can detect mana powers, helps?

‘…Catching a real estate agent is as good as caught already.’

Of course, there would be a need for preparations such as mana restraints in case he disappears again, but that’s to be expected.

As I contemplated seriously, Kang Yoon-soo nonchalantly shook his head with an expression that seemed to say if it was difficult to share a meal.

It included pressure, as if to say, ‘Isn’t that difficult?’ 

Well, there’s no helping it.

“Okay, let’s have a meal together.”

“You made a promise, Ms. Yeon-oh.”

“…You naturally assumed I would accept.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t be rejected wherever I go.”

“…Ah, I see.”

I can’t argue with that logic… 

Sigh. Arguing is only going to make my mouth hurt. As old as Kang Yoon-soo is and with his long hunter experience, he handles people adeptly.

Even now, that’s evident.

How does he know so accurately how I will move according to his words?

‘…He must have known for sure that the real estate agent would escape.’

Knowing that, he still stood by and watched from behind.

So that I can have a reason to meet him. Capturing the real estate agent would make me treat him more comfortably. 

He was frighteningly sharp-minded. No matter how much I fly or crawl, it would be difficult to win against Kang Yoon-soo in a psychological battle. He must not have trained and raised people like Jung Tae-il and Han Seung-hoo as hunters for no reason. 

I took a long breath and tightly closed my eyes.

“Ms. Yeon-oh, are you tired?”

“Oh, a bit.”

“If you’re tired, um, would you like to take a rest at our guild? If you come with me, we can get there quickly.”

“…Ah.”

“Or can you go straight to your house from here? This place, um, is not accessible to ordinary people….”

As if genuinely curious, Kang Yoon-soo looked around and mumbled. This was undoubtedly an action to test me. If I answered that I could go straight home from here, I would become a highly utilitarian person who could return home anytime, anywhere.

In other words, it means that I can return home at any time and come out anywhere I want.

‘Kang Yoon-soo has already experienced the ‘door leading to reality’ once.’

So deliberately looking at me.

‘To assess how high my value is.’

Furthermore, if he takes me to the Janwol Guild, he can properly check my level using the sensors there. Kang Yoon-soo probably confirmed that my rank is not FFF level.

‘I did go up to C level as a reward this time.’

Was that noticeable when I was running earlier?

Kang Yoon-soo laid traps wherever I went. I blinked my eyes slowly. Therefore, I had to answer, judging which trap would be less harmful to me.

‘At least here, there are no people, only grass and reeds. While there is a dead end like this, beyond it is an open field.’

If such a place exists in South Korea…

“Okay, I’ve always wanted to visit the Janwol Guild at least once, and it looks like I’ll have the chance this time.”

If such a place existed, it was likely a government-managed swamp or an ecological conservation area where ordinary people were strictly prohibited. A place I could never enter or exit alone. 

Therefore.

“But I’m still affiliated with the government, so I need permission from the higher-ups to enter the guild temporarily. Unfortunately, I’ll appreciate it if you can take me to the front of the Janwol Guild.”

I chose to make excuses about government regulations with a somewhat official tone. 

‘Well, it’s not entirely untrue.’

The government had prohibited affiliated hunters from entering guilds temporarily to prevent them from leaving the government’s control. If there was an unavoidable reason to enter, you would need explicit permission from higher authorities.

At this moment, I was quite proud of how well I manipulated the situation. Upon hearing my response, Kang Yoon-soo maintained an expression that couldn’t be deciphered and then burst into laughter coolly. 

“Haha! Right, that’s how it was. Those… beggar-like rules are still in place, huh.”

“Ahaha.”

“That’s why I can’t bring in talented individuals. It’s too regrettable that people like Ms. Yeon-oh are still under the control of the government.”

“…Is that so?”

“Of course.”

Kang Yoon-soo casually shrugged as if expressing regret. I couldn’t tell if his actions were genuine or deceptive. However, one thing was clear: Kang Yoon-soo wasn’t in a good mood now. 

Even though everything seemed fine until a moment ago, the atmosphere changed rapidly the moment the topic of the government came up. As if he were a different person. 

‘…Does he harbor some negative feelings towards the government?’

I squinted my eyes and observed Kang Yoon-soo. He responded with a nonchalant smile. However, it was short-lived. 

“…Oh, an uninvited guest is here. I expected it, but didn’t think they’d arrive so quickly.”

“…Uninvited guest?”

“Yes, somehow they always show up unexpectedly when things go south. And it’s… the person I dislike the most.”

Kang Yoon-soo turned his body toward the empty field as if taking a defensive stance in front of me. 

‘…What’s going on?’

I was still not fully aware that an uninvited guest had arrived, so I stared intently in the direction Kang Yoon-soo was scrutinizing, my nerves on edge. It seemed like hunters with higher levels than mine had arrived. 

While many judged solely based on the numerical values in the system window, it wasn’t the complete truth. A higher level meant that the functions and senses of the body were more heightened. Therefore, higher-leveled hunters naturally felt, heard, and moved more vividly and sharply than ordinary people.

On the flip side, having a lower level meant… 

‘It means I can’t fully perceive the presence of higher-leveled hunters.’

It also meant I couldn’t hide myself as effectively. Of course, specific skills or additional factors could cover these shortcomings, but since I lacked such skills, I had no choice but to focus on raising my level as much as possible.

‘For now, just one.’

After scrutinizing where Kang Yoon-soo was looking, I could barely identify one person. 

‘There’s a slightly stronger mana presence over there.’

With my senses alone, I couldn’t detect the concealed hunters in that area. So, I had to use the skill I possessed—<Mana Detector (F)>.

Although it was an F-level skill, I had revived the memory of using this skill to find mana stones in gates during my prime. Each hunter had their mana power, which could be likened to a moving mana stone. It operated on the same principle as when I used Han Seung-hoo as a living mana power-assist battery.

So, mana detection was the only way. 

‘There’s one more person over there…!’

It was at that moment, after finding one more person using my method. 

Ding! 

[Your growth is infinite! 

— Acquired Survival Instinct (B) (Passive). 

The still-weak Yeon-oh has learned how to survive in the wild! 

Places other than home are brutal wilderness! Survival instinct is crucial in such places! 

However, it doesn’t apply to concealment skills (A) or higher.] 

It pops up like this…? I widened my eyes and stared at the system window in silence. 

This guy isn’t usually so generous with skills… Even though I felt a bit suspicious, I had already received it, so I might as well use it.

 After closing the system window and looking back to where Kang Yoon-soo was gazing, a different scene unfolded from before.

‘… In the field, one, two, three… four.’ 

Silhouettes of people hiding appeared like faint white lines as if herbivores were detecting carnivores. It was so fascinating that I eventually opened my mouth, but it quickly closed again.

“Come out, Mr. Kim Chok. Since when has the government been stalking and trailing hunters like this? It could become a legal issue now.”

The words “government stalking hunters” were spoken, and words that shouldn’t be said together came out.