Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

At the end of a secluded alleyway stood a crumbling bar. A lone customer opened the creaky door and walked in. As he sat at the long bar where the bartender was, a man who had been sipping alcohol since broad daylight took an interest in him.

"Hey there, pal. You're not from around here, are you? Just looking at you, it's obvious you're an outsider."

"Who the hell would claim this shithole as their hometown? Everyone living in Sinuiju is just a drifter."

"Well, damn, aren't you prickly? Judging by the way you don't have a dialect, you must be from Seoul, huh?"

"You're not speaking in a dialect either, so you must not be from here either, right?"

"Half the people in Sinuiju came from elsewhere after causing trouble."

"I didn't cause any trouble. I just came back to my hometown after a long time."

"Hometown? You just said you weren't from here."

"It's not much of a hometown. My parents had me here while fleeing during the war. We moved south not long after. I just meant it's the place I was born."

"Still, it's a homecoming of sorts, isn't it? No one returns to Sinuiju even if they make it big. You're like a salmon swimming back. In that sense, can I buy you a drink? Hey, waiter. A whiskey for my friend here."

Just like in a Western saloon, a glass filled with brown liquid was roughly placed on the table.

"On the rocks."

"Oi, men drink it straight."

"On the rocks."

"Are you one of those iced coffee diehards? I seriously don't understand people who drink their alcohol with ice."

The other man asked the man drinking whiskey with ice.

"It's kind of fate to meet in such a dingy bar, so let's introduce ourselves, yeah? I'm Park Daeman. And you are?"

"No Gushim."

"That's such an eccentric name. So old-fashioned."

"Are you going to keep yapping? You're ruining my drink."

"Ah, sorry, sorry. Sitting here drinking during the day just gets so boring."

"Why does a bored man like you keep looking at his watch? If you have plans, just leave. Don't be a bother."

"There's just something I need to check."

"What? You want to see when the drugs kick in?"

"!!"

No Gushim turned his head to look at the man. The man felt a chill run down his spine. He wasn't the same hazy-eyed person from a moment ago.

"Did you think no one would notice if you put 'paralysis powder' in the drink? I thought this place was an information broker. Human trafficking in broad daylight, in a bar no less? Where do you plan to sell a Hunter? China? I've heard there are crazy bastards over there who dissect Hunters."

"Fuck─!"

The man reached for the dagger at his waist, but No Gushim was faster. He grabbed the man's head and slammed his face into the bar table, repeatedly, making a noise like a hammer striking. The table's surface cracked, and the man's nose was smashed, with his front teeth flying into the air.

"Urgh!"

No Gushim grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and kneed him in the stomach. The man collapsed to the floor, vomiting all the alcohol he had drunk on an empty stomach.

"Just because I've been living quietly under the Guild Leader's watch, now all sorts of scum think they can mess with me, huh?"

No Gushim glared at the bartender, who was armed. The passerby he saw when he came in was locking the door. The man who had been dozing at the table in the hall had a sinister look in his eyes. More men emerged from the restroom, the storeroom, and down the stairs from the second floor, surrounding No Gushim.

"Whew, this is ridiculous. It's not even the middle of summer, but I guess it's time to deal with some dogs. Do you really think you can take me on? You've got a long way to go."

"W-Wait. Cough─ Wait a moment! This isn't human trafficking. We are actually information brokers. Guys, put the knives down! Unless you all want to die."

As No Gushim pulled out a small knife that fit snugly in his hand, the man rolling in the vomit on the floor urgently shouted. The surrounding Hunters sheathed their weapons and stepped back.

No Gushim smirked.

"Good judgment."

"Can you put the knife away too?"

"Is it true? That you guys are information brokers? Even after drugging me with paralysis powder?"

"An outsider, especially a Hunter, came straight to our information brokerage. This bar isn't in a prime location, and even with a map, it's hard to find. Of course, we were suspicious. We planned to subdue you first and then question you."

"By torturing me?"

"N-No. We were just going to restrain you and confirm your identity..."

"Fine. Whether it's true or not doesn't matter. I didn't come here to shed blood. I just need some information."

No Gushim picked up the glass on the bar, poured out the liquor, and held it out to the awkwardly standing bartender.

"On the rocks."

The bartender hesitated. The man who had been on the floor nodded to him. The bartender picked up a different bottle from the one he had used before and filled the glass with ice and liquor.

No Gushim downed the whiskey in one shot and said, "I have a job for you to do."

"First, come inside."

"No. How do I know what's inside?"

"We don't do that to customers."

"Didn't you just try that on me?"

"Well, that was just..."

The man tried to explain again, but realizing the conversation was happening in circles, he swallowed his words.

'He caught on about the paralysis powder, pretended to drink the whiskey, and swung his fist without any hesitation. This guy is a seasoned high-ranking Hunter.'

The man realized that No Gushim was the same as him. Someone who lived with illegality and lawlessness as a habit. The only difference was that No Gushim was at a higher level.

"Is No Gushim your real name?"

"I asked for information, not an interrogation."

"What information do you need?"

"The general atmosphere in Sinuiju, and a lot of this and that."

"If you put it that vaguely..."

"As expected of a new business, you're really dull, aren't you? But that's why I came here."

Though it felt like he was being looked down on, the man couldn't get angry because No Gushim was right.

'He came here deliberately. He knows we just opened recently. Far from this being opening day luck, we're fucked from the start.'

What this violent customer implied was that he had chosen a less capable information broker to avoid being traced. New brokers had few connections and limited means to share information. Given his skills, tailing him would likely be useless too.

'Using a new broker means he's not looking for high-value information.'

Information that they could obtain simply by putting in some legwork. He was using an information broker just to save time.

Even with his limited experience as an information broker, the man could discern that much.

"Please give us more details."

"The guilds dominating Sinuiju, the relationships and power dynamics among Hunters, key figures, recent issues, and all rumors and incidents in the Hunter community. Also, public opinion and the general mood of the citizens here. Ah, and information related to brokers, especially about a guy named Hyun Junggeon. He runs a shady shop called 'Get Anything Done'. I want detailed info on him. Got it?"

"How will you pay? You know we don't accept cards or bank transfers here."

"Do you think this is my first transaction? Here."

No Gushim pulled out a thick envelope from his chest and threw it over.

Upon checking inside, it was the exact right amount. Meaning, he was familiar with the prices in this world.

'It's hard to ask for more. He must be well-versed in these matters.'

No Gushim turned his back without looking back. As he glared at the man blocking the exit, the man stepped aside. Half-opening the door, No Gushim said, "Send the data in a file to the address on the envelope by tonight."

"Yes. I'll deliver it by 9 PM."

"I thought I'd never see Sinuiju again in my life. What am I doing here? Even going so far as to use my grandfather's name?"

A cheap motel on the outskirts of Sinuiju.

No Gushim, no, No Song-rin, lay on a squeaky bed, staring at the ceiling. He reflected on Sinuiju in a place that could barely be called a motel.

He didn't have any memories of it, but this was the city he was born in. His impression of Sinuiju was simply 'shit.' It was as harsh and messy as he had heard from his grandfather and father. He wondered why Kang Mu-hyuk sent him here to gather information and gauge the city's atmosphere.

'No, it's even worse than back then. At least during that time, everyone was equal before the monsters.'

Now?

Even among humans, there was a divide between Hunters and civilians. The long-standing class divide between rich and poor remained, and discrimination between South Koreans and North Koreans existed even within the Korean Peninsula.

'Sinuiju blatantly embodies all those forms of discrimination in one location.'

Sinuiju was not only terrible in terms of discrimination but also in many other aspects.

The asphalt roads were cracked everywhere, and there wasn't a single intact sidewalk. Traffic lights changed randomly or were completely out of order. Cars took precedence over people, and if a Hunter caused an accident, it would be covered up without anyone knowing. Streetlights and utility poles were broken or even completely uprooted.

The problems extended beyond just the social infrastructure. Homeless people were everywhere, and pickpockets were encountered on every block. Robbery was rampant, with criminals openly brandishing knives. On his way to his lodging, No Song-rin encountered thieves trying to steal his wallet five times.

Sometimes the thieves kidnapped people. It was common for people to be bought and sold like slaves in the markets. These human commodities were treated like livestock.

Education and medical facilities were nonexistent in such a place. The only major hospital in Sinuiju was notorious for its blatant greed for money. Most citizens of Sinuiju did not enjoy the benefits of health insurance available to all South Korean citizens.

Sinuiju was reputedly Korea's 'Agbogbloshie,' known as the worst city in Ghana, Africa. Sinuiju after the Great War, became one of the most lawless cities in the world, a place where death was rampant. While it wasn't as bad as Agbogbloshie, Sinuiju was similarly irredeemable.

People outside of Sinuiju knew about this but kept it quiet because it was easier to ignore.

Even the South Korean government eventually gave up on it. As long as the corruption and crime within Sinuiju did not spill out, they simply left it alone.

'Thank God that both of them passed away early. Seeing what has become of this place would have made them sad. After all, despite all this, they had some good memories here during the evacuation.'

No Song-rin's grandfather was an ethnic Korean from Liaoning Province. During the chaos of the Great War, he fled south with his family to escape the monsters.

No Song-rin was born in Sinuiju shortly after the Great War ended and spent his early childhood there. Having never set foot in China, he had a strong sense of being Korean. However, growing up hearing stories from the Great War, places beyond the Yalu River, and Sinuiju itself didn't feel unfamiliar to him.

Somehow, Kang Mu-hyuk knew this and sent him to Sinuiju.

"No, even if he didn't know, he would've sent me anyway. That's the kind of person he is."

Given his knack for placing people precisely where they were needed, No Song-rin was the most likely Hunter in the guild to be dispatched to Sinuiju. He had never revealed his past, and since it wasn't a story anyone would dig into, this mission must've been a coincidence.

As he realized this, No Song-rin felt again that he was tightly caught in a trap.

"It feels like I'm becoming more and more like Guild Leader Kang's minion."

He muttered to himself sullenly.

Knock, knock!

The sound of knocking reached his ears.

No Song-rin's vigilance instantly shot through the roof. Standing diagonally next to the wall by the door, No Song-rin spoke quietly.

"Who is it?"

No answer. The presence he had felt just moments ago had already vanished. While gathering mana in his distant right hand, he cautiously turned the doorknob.

There was no one outside. Instead, there was a white envelope placed where his foot could kick it.

No Song-rin realized that this envelope was from the information broker he had visited earlier that day. He carefully opened the envelope and found a USB drive inside.

"Bloody Rascals. I was worried they were rookies, but they seem to have their act together."

No Song-rin took the envelope inside and locked the door. He pulled out a laptop from his backpack and plugged in the USB drive. Opening the folder, he saw numerous files.

After glancing through a few files, No Song-rin compressed the documents with a program and sent them to Kang Mu-hyuk with a short message.

<Information collection complete. Will report in detail upon return. Will rendezvous at Point 1. Awaiting further instructions.>

After sending the email, No Song-rin realized there was something else he needed to add. He picked up his smartphone.

"Huh? Why isn't it working?"

The phone displayed no signal. Aware of the unstable wireless communication infrastructure in Sinuiju, he tried the phone in the room, but it was also dead. With a sense of foreboding, he checked his laptop and saw that the internet connection, which had been working moments ago, was now cut off.

"This is way too cliché."

As he pulled out his karambit knife from his pocket--

Bang!

The door was shattered as masked assailants burst in. No Song-rin charged at the intruders.

The lead attacker hesitated, not expecting No Song-rin to counterattack. No Song-rin blocked the attacker's vision with his open palm and then stabbed a short blade into his neck.

Grabbing the collar of the collapsing body, he threw it at the following assailants, scattering their formation. No Song-rin moved among them, stabbing, breaking arms, and twisting necks.

Within moments, he had taken down a dozen attackers, but their numbers didn't seem to dwindle as they continued to flood into the room.

"Fucking human wave tactics. Are you guys fucking Chinese?"

Cursing at the silent attackers, No Song-rin stepped back. The room was becoming cluttered with bodies, limiting his movement. He could no longer fight effectively in the cramped space.

Gathering mana throughout his body, he rammed himself into a windowless wall like a dump truck.

Crash!

The concrete crumbled like a sandcastle. No Song-rin twisted his body in the air as he exited the building. Despite the five-story drop, he landed lightly without any issues.

But what awaited him were...

"Roar!"

"Yeah, this is what the Demonic Realm should be like. You guys just let monsters roam the streets, huh?"

They were 'ogres,' known as the nightmare for Hunters below B-rank.

Five of them.

'Are there people in Korea who can control monsters? I heard there were a few in China.'

The ogres weren't the only ones. He sensed presences in the alleys, some at a similar rank to himself.

"What overwhelming hospitality in my hometown. One more visit here and I might have every bone in my body broken to pieces."

No Song-rin's face twisted into a fierce expression.

Kang Mu-hyuk left the guild early in the morning, saying he would be back from Sinuiju by the end of the day. Upon hearing his explanation, Ju Se-ah insisted on tagging along.

"Sinuiju is no playground. It's dangerous there. Let me come with you."

"We'll be meeting outside Sinuiju. Their local forces won't come out, given they'd be wary of the Korean guilds. The person we're meeting today isn't dangerous. Besides, I already sent No Song-rin ahead to Sinuiju, so he'll join me. No need to worry."

Despite Kang Mu-hyuk's polite refusal, Ju Se-ah shook her head firmly.

"Even outside the borders, things aren't that great. Sinuiju may be Korean territory in name, but once inside, it's a lawless zone. Who would think of it as part of Korea? No way. I'll be your bodyguard. Be grateful for having an S-rank guard."

Kang Mu-hyuk stared intently at Ju Se-ah, who seemed to be making a fuss.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"Are you just trying to get out of work?"

Gulp.

"Desk work is work too. If the Guild Master also leaves during busy times, the guild won't work. I'd rather not leave my post, but I have no choice."

"It's not that I don't want to work. I'm just worried about you. Fine, I'll stay here and watch over the office."

"I'll need you to look after the guest Hunters while I'm gone."

Kang Mu-hyuk entrusted Ju Se-ah with looking after Seo Suji's party and Lee Sookyoung. With the true nature of the incident still unclear, there was a risk of assassination attempts. Since he planned to be gone only briefly, he arranged for them to stay and wait in the guild building.

Having successfully left Ju Se-ah behind, Kang Mu-hyuk headed out of North Pocheon, feeling relieved as he made a call.

"Yes, it's me. I'll stop by on the way. Yes, it's time for a check-up today. I'm out of medicine too. Yes. I just need to go to the Paju lab, right? Let Uncle know, please."