Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log

Chapter 146:

Chapter 146:

We kindly ask for your understanding regarding the inconsistency of character pronouns, particularly for the Entities (ex. The Greedy Predator). In Korean, pronouns are rarely used, making it challenging to ascertain a character's gender or identity until later narratives unfold. Update twice a week [SUN] & [THURS] starting August 2024! Also please check out our new Hunter series!

The Level 3 Gate incident occurred at Gwangalli Beach, which was usually frequented by many tourists, especially during the Lunar New Year holiday. As a result, a large crowd gathered in front of the gate being monitored by the association. However, they were mostly onlookers, and there weren’t many worried individuals.

It was not a dungeon break but a normal dungeon. Surprisingly, there were two S-class Hunters inside, and one of them was none other than Joo Eun, the guildmaster of Eternal. The Eternal Guild was progressing through the dungeon without much difficulty. Even the notoriously challenging vampire lair with its S-class threats posed no significant challenge to the attacking force with two S-class Hunters.

“Guildmaster, we’ve finished cleaning up the bats,” a guild member approached Joo Eun and reported.

In dungeons where vampires appeared, the bats they commanded had to be dealt with first. Failure to do so would result in a continuous supply of blood from the bats during the later confrontation with the vampires, prolonging the attack.

“Thank you for your hard work, Lee Rohan-ssi.”

Lee Rohan, who led the Busan branch of Eternal Guild, nodded. He was a large man with a prominent scar over one eye, giving him a somewhat fierce appearance. Because of this, before becoming a hunter, he was often mistakenly thought to be a gangster.

“Are there any injured?”

“We have one minor injury, and they are currently receiving treatment. There are no issues with combat.”

“Then, once Team B returns, we’ll begin the assault on the vampires.”

A moment of respite was granted. While guild members rechecked their equipment, Lee Rohan expressed his concern to Joo Eun, “It’s unfortunate that the gate incident occurred during your family trip.”

Joo Eun being here in Busan, which was not his usual jurisdiction, was all because of that. It was terribly unfortunate that a dungeon had to open just when he had come on a family trip after such a long time. It seemed luck was not on his side.

“Indeed. My daughter had high expectations. But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Will Yunjae and the little lady be returning to Seoul?”

“Yes, they said they’ll head back first. I’ll take care of things here and plan to go tomorrow.”

It had been a long time since Joo Eun had seen his wife and daughter, and now he couldn’t even spend proper time with them before parting again. Lee Rohan could see the disappointment on Joo Eun’s face. Understanding his feelings, Joo Eun smiled and patted his shoulder.

“I can handle the aftermath. Wouldn’t it be better for you to follow later once the operation is finished, sir?”

“It’s okay. Since this is my first time in Busan after a long time, it’s good to encourage the guild members. My wife suggested the same.”

Joo Eun’s words made Lee Rohan not insist any further. Having the guildmaster visit would boost the morale of the branch, so it was actually better for them.

“Oh, Team B just returned. Let’s do a headcount and start the assault on the vampires.”

Vampires were formidable opponents as they could transform into bats and recover by consuming blood.

However, the adversary was none other than the most well-rounded Eternal Guild in the country. With Joo Eun, capable of both ranged and melee attacks, and Lee Rohan, the Mage, capable of various types of magic, leading the charge, the vampires had no choice but to retreat.

Lee Rohan cast an illusionary spell, creating the illusion that the vampires were healing, while Joo Eun pierced the vampire’s heart, annihilating the monster. A few more injuries occurred, but they were all minor.

However, the joy of completing the assault vanished in an instant.

“Guildmaster Joo Eun! An urgent message has come in!” An official from the Busan Association, who was waiting outside, rushed in and delivered the urgent message: “A Rift Dungeon has appeared at Busan Station!”

A Rift Dungeon, and at Busan Station. Upon hearing this, the faces of everyone, including Joo Eun, froze in shock. The Rift Dungeon was a problem in itself, but what was even more concerning…

‘Yunjae and the little lady might be at Busan Station…!’

Joo Eun’s wife and daughter were supposed to be at Busan Station to return to Seoul. No one knew whether they had safely left Busan or if they were caught in the Rift Dungeon.

Joo Eun’s face turned pale in an instant.

***

Busan Station was engulfed by the Rift Dungeon just as Seora and Kang Sejun’s train was about to arrive. Thanks to this, the people on the train managed to avoid the danger narrowly, but the thought that it could’ve been perilous if they had arrived a little earlier sent shivers down their spines.

People looked at Seora and Kang Sejun, trying to suppress their fear.

“Kang Sejun, tell me honestly. Was this your intention…?”

When asked if he had planned for this, Kang Sejun, who had been quite vocal earlier, remained silent and avoided eye contact. Seora massaged her temples. “Next time, just speak up. Huh? Just say a dungeon is going to appear! Why keep something like this hidden when we all know each other!?” Seora whispered, jabbing his side. Kang Sejun coughed awkwardly.

“If that were the case, you would have given up on the Busan trip and sent Seong Jarim instead. It’s a holiday.”

“Of course!”

Kang Sejun mumbled in response. Seora jabbed his side again, asking what kind of nonsense he was talking about.

Of course, despite her words, Seora swiftly pulled out Hit and donned her armor with no hesitation. Knowing a Rift Dungeon had occurred at the train station during a holiday, potentially trapping hundreds of people, there was no time to waste—they had to go and rescue them.

“Kang Sejun-ssi, you know we can’t just brush this off with a suite room and a premium sashimi set meal, right? You deceived me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Seora vented her frustration by smacking him on the back.

“Please open the door.”

Equipped and ready, Seora and Kang Sejun approached the door. The attendant looked flustered. “But…”

“It’s a Rift Dungeon. There won’t be any monsters coming out immediately. So calmly evacuate all the citizens on the train. You received evacuation training during your attendant education, didn’t you?”

The attendant nodded hurriedly.

“I’d love to join you, but if we don’t get support right away, it will be a big problem. It’s different from a Dungeon Break, so quickly evacuate the citizens from Busan Station.”

When the attendant opened the door, Seora and Kang Sejun sprinted towards Busan Station right in front of them. However, the entrance to the station was different than usual due to the Rift Dungeon, so they couldn’t just enter anywhere.

“Kang Sejun! Where’s the dungeon entrance?”

“Main entrance of Busan Station! Grab on!”

As Seora grabbed Kang Sejun’s hand, he cast a teleportation spell. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the two of them were standing in front of the main entrance of Busan Station. The distance was close enough for them to teleport in one go.

The citizens who were anxiously lingering near the Rift Dungeon were startled by the sudden appearance of the two.

“Whoa, whoa? It’s Kang Sejun!”

“And there’s Headbang too!”

“Hey, take a picture, take a picture!”

Amidst the clamor, the sound of cameras clicking loudly echoed. Ignoring the commotion, the two dashed straight toward the association personnel controlling the area in front of the dungeon.

“He-Headbang?”

“I’m Yun Seora from the Association Headquarters. What’s the dungeon rank?”

Association Headquarters. The employee, who had been greatly disconcerted, quickly regained composure at the mention of it.

“Oh! It’s Level 4, Level 4.”

“Of course.”

Rift Dungeons posed a significant risk even at Level 5, considering that ordinary people were most likely to be affected. So, a Level 4 was concerning.

“Who is inside?”

“There are three Hunters from the Busan Association and seven Hunters from nearby medium-sized guilds. The average rank is C.”

“Are there people who have escaped?”

“About two hundred people have escaped so far. We’ve also called for medical assistance.”

Ten Hunters in total. It was fortunate that their average rank was C, but the issue was that the location engulfed by the dungeon was Busan Station during the holiday season.

Moreover, the fact that only two hundred people managed to escape from the conspicuous main entrance, which was both an entrance and an exit, hinted that either the interior was severely distorted or there were particularly formidable monsters.

“I will provide support.”

Without hesitation, Seora and Kang Sejun entered the dungeon.

?Awakened ‘Yun Seora’ has entered the Level 4 Dungeon ‘Shadow Ghost Haven’.?

Despite being midday, the interior was pitch dark. Even for Awakened individuals, it was a challenge to see anything clearly. However, there was an audible sound, suggesting it wasn’t a sensory-depriving space.

“‘Shadow Ghost Haven’. The name itself is unsettling. Is this a habitat for ghost-type creatures?”

“No, it’s a bit different.”

Gwisin-dae, one of Korea’s supernatural creatures, primarily resided in shadows. They were malevolent spirits known to delight in people. That is, they enjoyed consuming people.

Though they had rushed in as soon as the Rift Dungeon occurred, there was no telling how many people might have been injured. They needed to provide immediate assistance.

“I’ll handle the second and third floors. You take care of the first floor, the restaurant area, and the platform.”

“Photosphere.”

Three white glowing orbs appeared at Kang Sejun’s snap of his fingers. Kang Sejun attached one to himself and handed one to Seora. With the remaining one, he created a small explosion in the air—glittering particles dispersed in the pitch-dark Busan Station, illuminating the surroundings.

Gyaaa!Screams of Gwisin-dae in agony echoed everywhere, accompanied by hopeful cries that now they could see what lay ahead.

“Tap the orbs, and the light will intensify. Use it when needed.”

“That’s why having a Mage is great.”

“Don’t talk about it like I’m just a Mage. I’m more like a fantastic shuttle.”

“A shuttle, huh? Whenever something happens, you’re the one who drags me along.”

Kang Sejun didn’t say anything more. He just left a word of encouragement before hurriedly rushing down to the lower floor.

Seora, with a determined promise to ask repayment from Kang Sejun for his assigned tasks, began sniping the Gwisin-dae. People trembling and covering their heads with each scream of the monster looked up.

“I’m from the association! Don’t worry, I’ll snipe all the monsters, so evacuate safely! The exit is this way!”

A booming voice infused with magic woke the people from their daze. Finally noticing Seora, they ran towards her with a sense of relief.

“Follow the order to prevent more victims! If there are injured, support them! There’s only one exit, so calmly maintain order and escape. Don’t worry about what’s behind!”

Thanks to the bright light illuminating the area near the exit, the Gwisin-dae couldn’t even think of approaching in this direction. Following Seora’s guidance, the citizens calmly evacuated.

The once-crowded station was gradually less packed. The light Kang Sejun had exploded and deployed was diminishing. Seora glanced at the undamaged glowing orb by her shoulder before acting.

“Designate the space.”

A massive cube enclosed the entire second and third floors of Busan Station. The fully controlled space transmitted information through her left eye connected to skills.

‘There are a lot of people on the third floor. Plenty of Gwisin-dae, but there are Hunters too, so I should start with the second floor and then move up.’

Seora moved, taking down the Gwisin-dae, rescuing lost citizens, and wandering on the second floor.

“Hey, over there! I can hear a child crying from over there!”

A citizen, almost falling prey to the Gwisin-dae, pointed somewhere, tears streaming down their face. Seora shook her head firmly. “That’s the sound of the monsters. They lure people with the sound of a child crying. Don’t be deceived. Run in that direction. I’ve already rescued all the citizens on the way here. If you hear crying, it’s the work of the monsters. Don’t pay attention.”

Citizens, horrified by the grotesque behavior of the monsters beyond their expectations, ran towards the direction Seora pointed, stumbling.

Now, the people left on the second floor…

“Ah!”

At that moment, Seora swiftly turned her head at the sound of a child’s voice. This wasn’t an imitation by the Gwisin-dae. It was undoubtedly a genuine human cry for help.

Seora crouched into a small space beneath the escalator. At the same time, a sharp cutter cut through the air.

“Stay calm. I’m from the association.”

While she could have easily restrained the child, Seora was cautious not to startle her. She coaxed the child hiding under the escalator to come out.

With her brown hair tied in a ponytail, the young girl held the cutter tightly in both hands, eyeing Seora warily. She couldn’t have been more than an elementary school student, much smaller than Seora had expected. Yet, this small child was confidently holding and brandishing a cutter. If Seora were an ordinary person, she would have been severely injured.

“Could you please put the cutter down for now?”

“You could be a monster trying to deceive me.”

But the determined child pushed the cutter even further. Seora held up her hand, revealing her identification from the inventory, thankful that Sejun had attached the orb. “Here’s my identification. See this mark? This is created by a Mage affiliated with the association, making forgery impossible.”

As Seora infused magic, the Taeguk symbol engraved on the identification glowed in a rainbow hue. The bold child inspected the mark meticulously before lowering the cutter. “I’m sorry. My mom always said I can survive if I keep my wits about me, even if I’m trapped in a dungeon. I happened to have a knife in my bag for origami, so I used it as a self-defense tool.”

Right, in modern times, dungeons are more dangerous than a tiger’s den. Regardless of who her mother was, she had educated her very well.

“I’m Joo Si-eun, a 1st grader at Kanghan Elementary School. Oh, I’ll be going to 2nd grade now.”

Joo Si-eun confidently extended two fingers.