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

The house of Gong Du-ri, known as the loudest in Sangdo-dong, began its morning with the booming voice of Mrs. Kim, who was once again trying to break her own record.

"Gong Du-ri! Where are you going so early in the morning?!"

"I'm moving out. You told me to leave yesterday, remember?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I meant you should get out and do something."

"I got a job."

Mrs. Kim's eyes widened as she clung tightly to her son. Now that she thought about it, he was dressed in a suit. Unfamiliar with such a sight, she questioned him suspiciously, "A job? Is this another scam?"

"Room and boarding included, full insurance coverage, a healthy paycheck. It's from Taesung Group. They said I've been scouted by a big company."

"Oh my! What's happening? Is this real, my son?"

"Your tone seems very different from earlier. Anyway, they said it's urgent, so I'm heading out now. I'll call a moving service later for the rest of my stuff."

"You're leaving?"

"I have to stand on my own now."

"We'll discuss that later. Ho ho, my dear son. You should have breakfast before you leave."

"I don't have time. I need to leave now if I don't want to be late."

"Alright. You're a busy man now. Will you be home for dinner? I'll prepare something delicious."

"Goodness, I told you, I'll be staying there for a while. I probably won't be able to come back. Anyway, I'll be off now."

"My son, take care."

As Gong Du-ri hurriedly opened the front door and left, Mrs. Kim waved him goodbye.

Gong Du-ri was excited about his first day at Taesung. He was an elite in the field of cybersecurity, but due to his innate curiosity, he had left his digital fingerprints all over the place.

The only way for an isolated hacker to survive was through crime. Fortunately, he could eat his fill thanks to Kang Mu-hyuk.

Now he was wearing the badge of a big company. It was an overwhelming feeling.

'Awesome, I'm part of a big company now.'

With a newfound lightness in his steps, Gong Du-ri set off for work.

'Big company, my ass.'

He had been overjoyed when he heard Kang Mu-hyuk had secured him a position in Taesung Group.

But the place he was hired was a guild.

Still, Taesung Guild was part of the group. Though he was suspicious as the name had been changed recently, Gong Du-ri looked at the face standing next to him and grimaced again.

"Kid, it's been a while? I hope this time you won't play around with your keyboard. You might get hurt."

"I didn't expect to see you, Team Leader Pyo. Ha ha...."

The person who caught Gong Du-ri snooping through confidential documents in the Titan Guild was Pyo Beom-hee. His nemesis and natural enemy.

Gong Du-ri quickly looked away, avoiding his gaze. No matter how much he disliked her, a rabbit couldn't glare at a tiger. Not wanting to get entangled with Pyo Beom-hee, he glanced around and noticed a stranger.

A two-meter-tall hulk with a beard covering his face.

"Who's that bearded old man?"

"Team Leader Yeom Soo-hyung from the Support Team. He's a guy who's always holed up in the warehouse. You wouldn't have seen him."

An Ji-il was the one to respond to Gong Du-ri's question as he happened to walk into the office.

Seeing An Ji-il, a fellow Equipment Team comrade from Titan and a non-Hunter like himself, Gong Du-ri couldn't help but exclaim in delight, "Ji-il! You're here too?"

"Why? Am I not allowed to be?"

"No, it's not that... You don't particularly like Mr. Kang, do you?"

"Do you choose a guild based on people? You choose based on the work."

"I chose based on the money though..."

As An Ji-il was exchanging greetings with others, Kang Mu-hyuk entered the office. By his side was Ju Se-ah.

"Wow, Ji-il! Ju Se-ah, it's Ju Se-ah!"

"I know, just calm down."

An Ji-il was quick to quell Gong Du-ri's excitement.

Kang Mu-hyuk scanned the room before speaking, "Welcome, everyone, to our Iron Will Guild. This person here is Guild Master Ju Se-ah."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ju Se-ah. It's a pleasure to have all of you in our guild based on the recommendation of Guild Leader Kang Mu-hyuk. I look forward to your contributions. Thank you in advance."

Clap, clap, clap!

Gong Du-ri, who had been applauding, quickly stopped when he saw others were silent.

"We have people who haven't yet joined as they are finishing up other tasks, but we have the roles we need immediately filled, so let's get started right away."

Gong Du-ri, disappointed to be inducted into a guild rather than a subsidiary of the Taesung Group, had hoped for some grand welcoming ceremony, but the mention of starting work immediately took the wind out of his sails.

Kang Mu-hyuk then briefed each individual about their tasks.

"Gong Du-ri, you will be working as the Team Leader of the Situation Room Operator Team."

"Team Leader?"

"You will also be in charge of system security. Please check the security system right away. Check the firewall as well. If there are any leaks, make sure to patch them up."

Caught off guard by the unexpected promotion, Gong Du-ri went wide-eyed as Kang Mu-hyuk handed him his assignments. He nodded awkwardly, quickly realizing that his responsibilities were too overwhelming to handle alone and urgently raised his hand.

"Wait a minute. You expect me to do all that alone?"

"Obviously you can't do it alone. There's a team. Use them appropriately. Managing manpower is also part of a Team Leader's duties, so it's best to get used to it."

"A Team Leader's duties... Right. Haha..."

"Am I to take charge of Storage C?"

When An Ji-il proactively stepped up to ask, Kang Mu-hyuk handed him a USB.

"This is a monster extermination plan to prevent interference with the guild's relocation. Please select the equipment that fits my requirements. We can't move everything right away due to storage space constraints. The rest will be taken over after the guild relocation."

"I'll check it out."

"I'm on the management team, right?"

"Yes. Team Leader Pyo, I'll introduce the team members separately. Luckily, the management team had the fewest resignations due to the guild's relocation, so it'll be easier for you to coordinate with them."

Kang Mu-hyuk glanced at the last man standing. He was a mountainous figure, his head nearly reaching the ceiling.

"You, Team Leader Yeom Soo-hyung, will be in charge of the Support Team."

"Will my duties remain the same?"

"Yes."

"Can I manage my people as I see fit?"

"As long as you're not bullying them."

"I'll give it a shot."

After assigning the new recruits to their respective departments, Kang Mu-hyuk went up to the Guild Master's office at the summon of Ju Se-ah.

As soon as he entered, she unleashed her curiosity, "Who was that bearded man earlier?"

"That's Team Leader Yeom Soo-hyung."

"You know I wasn't asking for his name."

"He used to be a Hunter."

"Right? I knew he was a Hunter! I thought I might have seen him. But a support team? At first glance, he could be an A-rank guild's main tanker."

Ju Se-ah's surprise was understandable. The support team was colloquially called the pack mules. Their role was to manage hunting supplies, overseeing the warehouse, and moving goods -- a team known for its demanding work, despite the limited variety of tasks. Thus, few people lasted long in that position.

"It's already strange that the Management Team Leader is a Hunter. But the Support Team Leader, too? And not just any Hunter, but one of a high rank? What a waste! Is Titan overflowing with Hunters?"

"In reality, Team Leader Yeom is a B+ rank. He retired from hunting due to personal reasons. When I said he used to be a Hunter, it's because his Hunter qualifications have been revoked."

"Revoked?"

"I can't discuss personal matters."

"Never mind, I don't need to know... But B+? Not A- or higher? That's odd. That can't be right... Have I lost my touch?"

As Ju Se-ah tilted her head in confusion, Kang Mu-hyuk kept his lips sealed. Her senses hadn't failed her.

'Team Leader Yeom is indeed a bit unique.'

Just as Ju Se-ah was blessed with physical and magical defensive powers beyond her rank, Yeom Soo-hyung also had his special qualities. The oddity that Ju Se-ah sensed probably pertained to this, Kang Mu-hyuk thought.

"Have I satisfied your curiosity?"

"I have no further questions. You wouldn't tell me everything, anyway. As long as he does his job, it's fine with me."

"We don't have much time left. The upcoming subjugation mission will take place with a minimum of high-rank Hunters, so intensify the Hunter training, please."

As Kang Mu-hyuk stood to leave, Ju Se-ah asked him another question, "So, are we really proceeding with only B-rank Hunters or lower?"

"This operation aims at an overall skill improvement for the future. Unless a significant risk emerges, we'll stick to strict party play."

"But wouldn't it be better if I step in, solve things quickly, and focus on securing our guild's position?"

"If you, Guild Master, can cover the entire North Pocheon region 24/7, feel free to do so."

"I see what you mean. I was just a bit worried."

Seeing the troubled look on Ju Se-ah's face, Kang Mu-hyuk questioned, "Is it really that bad?"

"No, it's not that it's hopeless... It's just that after looking at the Slayer Guild, I can't help but worry when I look at our members..."

"Compared to the Tier-ed Guild, even our A-Class seems lacking."

"The issue is that Goblins have such a large level disparity. From what I saw in the reports, it seems like a large tribe that has maintained its population for a long time. I think there will even be a considerable number of evolved ones."

"There might even be irregulars."

"That's what I'm saying. We don't know what kind of mutants will show up."

Goblins had an extremely fast reproduction cycle, with one generation only lasting a few months. As long as there was enough prey, they could quickly multiply into hundreds or thousands.

No matter how vast a special habitat, there was a limit to its scale, but this tribe had already existed for more than a decade. Having gone through dozens of generations, the overall level of the tribe must have increased.

Among them, there were likely to be exceptional mutant monsters, also known as irregulars. Kang Mu-hyuk had also taken this into account.

"We will prepare, but we may have to anticipate some sacrifices."

Ju Se-ah focused more on the word 'prepare' than 'sacrifice.'

As his track record at Titan displayed, Kang Mu-hyuk was a reliable person when it came to hunting.

"Then, I'll also do my best to prepare."

As time passed, Kang Mu-hyuk stopped by his office with only one day left before the start of the operation. He had spent some time in the guild's dormitory and had come to pick up a change of clothes.

Moreover, he needed to restock the injection and medicine that alleviated mana addiction.

After a quick shower and packing his things, Kang Mu-hyuk used a laser syringe on his arm, a needleless device.

It was more expensive and harder to find than a regular syringe, but it was easy to use and didn't leave needle marks, so he had bought them in bulk.

The drug was administered once every two weeks, but it didn't completely suppress the disease. If there was an outbreak like last time, caused by a large outflow of mana from the Gate, he would need to immediately administer another dose just to cope.

As the drug circulated through his body, he felt a slight dizziness. It was a nauseating feeling, but it gradually disappeared as he sat with his eyes closed.

"Phew, it doesn't feel great, but at least it's not getting worse."

Shaking off the nausea, Kang Mu-hyuk muttered to himself and took his belongings down to the parking lot.

'Is this the norm? Is it cliché to be waiting in the parking lot these days?'

Kang Mu-hyuk identified the men blocking his path. They didn't seem hostile. They kept a polite distance, appearing to have a purpose.

"The Chairman wants to see you."

"The Chairman?"

At this point, there was only one person he could think of when someone mentioned 'The Chairman.'

'The Chairman of Taesung Group, Tae Jin-sung.'

In fact, 'at this point' was a real nuisance.

He had been quiet during the guild name change and even during the announcement. But now...

Kang Mu-hyuk was just about to head to Pocheon when he was called upon.

'One could say this is when I'm most vulnerable.'

Quite fitting of a chaebol who leads one pillar of the national economy. If it wasn't intentional, he was certainly a wretched old man.

'I expected to meet him someday, but...'

Chairman Tae Jin-sung had an interest in Ju Se-ah, which was a meal worse than sacrificial offerings. The fate of her guild, which would determine her coming and going, was entrusted to a new Guild Leader, him, Kang Mu-hyuk. It was only natural that The Chairman would take an interest.

He could avoid it, but it was not a summon he should avoid. It occurred to him that this was an opportunity to see what The Chairman was thinking.

"Lead the way."

The first impression Kang Mu-hyuk had of The Chairman was, 'He looks like her.'

The stubborn gaze was identical to Ju Se-ah's. The power of genes that couldn't be hidden.

He had no emotion when he entered the neighborhood where only the wealthiest people in South Korea lived, yet he admired the most unnecessary place.

"Guild Leader Kang Mu-hyuk." A pair of lips, as stubborn as his gaze, were opened.

Kang Mu-hyuk replied, feeling lucky that Ju Se-ah did not inherit those lips, "Yes."

"I see you've been mingling here and there."

It was a simple expression, but Kang Mu-hyuk felt a quiet tension inside.

'He must be referring to his sons that I met. But he said 'see,' not 'hear.' Is he implying that he personally looks after the group?'

The subtle expression revealed a confidence that he had complete control over the group.

If he tried to hide or deceive, it could lead to a mess right from the start. While he had no intention of doing so, Kang Mu-hyuk replied with extra caution, "I can't afford to refuse a helping hand. If someone throws me even cold rice when I'm hungry, I have to gratefully accept it."

"Hmm, that's a good attitude. A man with nothing, who tries to keep his pride, only hurts himself."

"Exactly. A man with nothing should always keep his pocket open." It was a demeaning metaphor, but Kang Mu-hyuk went along nonchalantly.

At his response, one of Tae Jin-sung's eyebrows raised noticeably. He squinted at Kang Mu-hyuk, examining him closely.

Looking at a person like this could feel so unpleasant. It was like the gaze of evaluating a product.

Kang Mu-hyuk, unaffected by Tae Jin-sung's gaze, asked, "What are you going to give to a man with an open pocket, Chairman?"