CH 17

From somewhere, Kang Do-hoon rushed over as if he’d had an epiphany and shouted.

“What the. I did nothing but laugh. But, do you like me or something? Is your jealousy towards me, not Taeju, the reason you’re telling me to back off?”

“What, what nonsense are you talking about!”

“No, really. Whenever I come to the guild, you always show up. It’s like you’re always waiting for me.”

“What the hell are you talking about!”

Kang Do-hoon’s face flared up, turning bright red.

In a teasing manner, I subtly scooted away from Kang Do-hoon on the sofa.

“Sorry, but I can’t accept you.”

“Stop spouting nonsense! Why would I like you! I absolutely hate you! I would rather like a monster than you!!”

I muttered ‘yeah, yeah’ and nodded.

“I mean it! I don’t like you!”

“But why do you come to find me every time I come to the guild?”

“That’s because! I am your watcher!”

“Watcher?”

Kang Do-hoon nodded vigorously.

“Yes! I’m the watcher who watches you to make sure you don’t tarnish the guild’s name!”

“Oh, I see.”

I gave Kang Do-hoon a careful once-over.

He was about the same height as Seo Go Woon, but Kang Do-hoon had a more slender build.

His exposed wrist was also too thin for a hunter.

Besides, when I grabbed his shoulder before, he said it hurt, so he seemed more like a regular person than a hunter?

“You seem too weak to be a watcher?”

I pointed at Kang Do-hoon from head to toe with my finger.

“How am I weak!”

Whether being called weak was a sore spot, Kang Do-hoon jumped up from his seat and protested.

“You’re just a regular person. Do you think you can handle me with that frail body?”

“Who, who says! Who says I’m a regular person! I’m a hunter?!”

I looked at the color of Kang Do-hoon’s hair. Unlike the bright hair color of the hunters, he had red hair and brown eyes that seemed dyed.

Even if he dressed up his hair and eyes like a hunter, he looked just like a regular person no matter how I looked at it.

‘Does he not like being a regular person.’

“Hmm, okay. Congratulations on being a hunter.”

Whether he liked my congratulatory remark, Kang Do-hoon’s face lost color.

I ignored Kang Do-hoon and spoke to the person in charge.

“So, how long do I have to do this?”

Between my bickering with Kang Do-hoon, whether the person in charge had calmed down, or it was because Kang Do-hoon was by my side, the person in charge spoke with a slightly less fearful face.

“You have to go within a week.”

“Yes. I understand.”

I picked up the documents and got up from my seat.

There’s no one who needs saving right now, and I need to level up anyway, so it wouldn’t be bad to go to the dungeon.

The guild might think this is an excuse to kick me out, but for me, this is an opportunity.

Those bastards may have told me to quit the guild if I want to, but why would I leave a well-paying sweet job like this.

Moreover, there probably wouldn’t be a guild that would welcome Seo Go-woon, who was infamous for his absurdity.

‘It’s sweet just staying here.’

As I got up from my seat, shaking my head, Kang Do-hoon followed me.

“When are you going?”

“Why? You’re coming along?”

“Yeah.”

I stopped and looked at Kang Do-hoon.

‘Does he… really like Seo Go-woon?’

Even though Seo Go-woon was a troublemaker, if one were to judge by face alone, he had a pretty decent look.

His skin was good, his upward-slanted eyes were cat-like and softened when he smiled. You could like him just by looking at his face… But isn’t that a quick way to ruin your life? Isn’t it weirder for someone to hold onto a ticking time bomb, knowing it could explode at any moment, based solely on its appearance?

As Ifell into deep thought, Kang Do-hoon nudged my shoulder. “But are you sure your hands are okay?”

“Huh? My hands?”

‘Why is he talking about my hands, all of sudden?’

I looked down at my hands. Unlike my original, rough hands, Seo Go-woon’s hands were white, long, and slim.

“You severely injured your hand, right?”

‘Did that son of a… spiledl the beans?’

On top of spewing foul words, he didn’t even come home, and after three days of being off the radar, he seemed to have finally sobered up?

“Who did?” I asked, pretending not to care.

“Michael, the Guildmaster of the Holy Spirit Guild.”

“Oh.”

The sound of the streamer’s “It wasn’t.” that I often watched flashed across my mind.

While I was feeling embarrassed inwardly, Kang Do-hoon grabbed my hand and twisted it here and there.

“But your hand looks fine?”

“It was injured, but I applied a potion, so it’s fine now.”

Kang Do-hoon looked at me with shocked eyes. “A potion?”

“Yeah,” I responded dryly and pressed the elevator button.

“A healing potion?!”

“Yeah.”

“You crazy bastard! Do you know how expensive that is to apply on your hand!”

For a moment, I looked at Kang Do-hoon, taken aback. “What?”

“If you have such a potion, you should’ve given it to Taeju hyung!! Why are you applying it on your hand!”

“Hey, it’s my stuff. I’ll use it as I want, what’s it to you?”

“It’s a potion that should be used on Taeju hyung, not on your hand! Do you know how expensive that is!”

Ignoring the furious yelling, I stepped into the elevator.

“Hey! Where are you going! Are you going to make a scene somewhere?!”

“What are you talking about? I’m just going out quietly. You don’t need to follow.”

“No, I can’t trust you.”

Just before the door fully closed, Kang Do-hoon pressed a button, and it opened again. He stepped into the elevator.

“You’ve scammed me more than once or twice! I’d rather believe that a dog meows than believe your words.”

‘Did he have something against the dogs in the Sunset Guild?’

‘That bastard was saying a dog wouldn’t take a dump, while Kang Do-hoon was saying a dog would meow.’

With a shrug, I conveyed that he could do as he pleased.

“…Hey, do you have more of that potion?”

“I do, but I’m not giving it to you.”

Seo Go-woon had a total of five potions stashed at home. I’d used two, so there were three left.

“I’m not trying to coax you! Give it to Taeju hyung! Taeju hyung!”

“Why should I give it to a guy who doesn’t even come home?”

I had no intention of giving it anyway.

“That’s because Taeju-hyung is currently touring dungeons.”

“Dungeon touring?”

With a ding, the elevator doors opened.

“You didn’t know? Taeju hyung is in debt to the Center because of you. He got an official notice to clear the dungeons managed by the Center.”

“Debt? Oh.”

At my response, Kang Do-hoon frowned. “‘Oh’? All you have to say is ‘Oh’? Taeju hyung is suffering because of you!”

“Who told him to leave the dungeon without permission? As I’ve said before, isn’t it only right to fix what you’ve messed up yourself?”

He could have ignored the message or sought me out after conquering the dungeon. The one who ran off on his own was that bastard Seo Taeju.

Why is it my fault that that bastard messed up?

“Wow. You really are a piece of trash.”

“Right. Since I’m trash, stop following me and go do your own thing,” I waved my hand dismissively as I exited the elevator.

I thought he wouldn’t follow once I reached the lobby on the first floor, but Kang Do-hoon got off the elevator after me.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“Would I?”

“Why are you following me then?”

Kang Do-hoon frowned as he replied, “Shit. It’s not like I want to follow you.”

Fine, fine. Do as you please.

Ignoring Kang Do-hoon, I strode through the lobby. I heard people murmuring and cursing at Seo Go-woon amidst the crowd, but I simply ignored it. After all, I wasn’t really Seo Go-woon, so the insults didn’t affect me.

“When are you going to the dungeon?” Kang Do-hoon asked, upon reaching the front door of the lobby.

“Why do you ask?”

“Why? Because I have to follow you, that’s why.”

“What? Why do you have to follow me to the dungeon?”

“Because I told you I’m your watcher!” Kang Do-hoon exploded.

“What, you’re going to monitor me even in the dungeon? Seriously? Why? If I get into an accident and die in the dungeon, that’s on me, so why the surveillance?”

“What do you mean, ‘surveillance?’ I’m just making sure you’re exploring properly. You lied about clearing the dungeon when you didn’t. Have you forgotten how much backlash the Sunset Guild received when the dungeon exploded back then?”

“Ugh.”

‘Seo Go-woon, this bastard.’ He really was up to unimaginable antics.

I sighed and raised my hand, “I’m going to the dungeon now. Follow me if you want to.”

“Now? Aren’t you going to prepare?”

“It’s just a pathetic D-class dungeon. What’s there to prepare for?” I left the lobby and got into the waiting taxi.

Perhaps anticipating I would leave, Kang Do-hoon squeezed into the seat next to me. He tried to push me away, but he lacked the strength.

‘With this level of strength, he couldn’t even push a desk.’

Moving over to the other seat in sympathy, Kang Do-hoon quickly climbed into the car.

“Driver, please take us to this address.” I handed the driver the address of the D-class crystal dungeon given by the person in charge while ignoring Kang Do-hoon.

“You’re really thinking of going into the dungeon, right? You’re not just going to turn around when we get there, are you?”

“No, I’ve been wanting to go to the dungeon.”

“What?!” Kang Do-hoon shouted in surprise.

“Hey, keep it down.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t disturb the driver.”

Realizing we were inside a taxi, Kang Do-hoon clamped his mouth shut with an “oh” expression.

“I understand you don’t trust me, but let’s be quiet while we’re moving.” I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes.

There’s no point in talking anyway since he wouldn’t believe me, and I didn’t feel like chatting. Perhaps sensing my mood, Kang Do-hoon did not try to start a conversation.

As the dungeon was located in the heart of Seoul, it didn’t take long to get there. After paying the driver, we got out to see a towering concrete wall, unadorned and tall.

“Hmm.”

Forested dungeons located on the outskirts of Seoul, where people rarely visit, didn’t usually have walls, but places with a high population like central Seoul often erected concrete walls like this due to fears of dungeon outbreaks.

As I was looking for the entrance to go inside the wall, Kang Do-hoon, following behind me, asked, “You’re really going in?”

“Yeah, if you’re scared, stay here. I’ll go alone.”

“Sc—scared! I’m a hunter too, why would I be scared of this!”

‘He didn’t seem too convincing with his slightly trembling voice. And when is he going to stop pretending to be a hunter? We’re past the point where the staff was around, aren’t we?’

“You’re not a hunter.”

“What? I am a hunter.”

“You? A hunter? But what kind of hunter is so weak?”

From what I knew, hunters, regardless of their awakened abilities, had better stamina than the average person. Their defense was the same. If he had awakened as a hunter, even if he wasn’t overly muscular, he wouldn’t be in pain from a slight touch, would he?

“So you’re strong, then? You’re weak as well, aren’t you?”

His sharp words left me speechless.

As an awakened hunter, Seo Go-woon was indeed weak. Compared to other hunters, he was practically fragile.

However.

“You’re weaker than me, you’re in no position to talk.”

Even so, Seo Go-woon was in better shape than Kang Do-hoon. Kang Do-hoon, who had been incessantly bickering, clammed up at my remark. After finally finding the entrance and inputting the number written in the document, the metal door opened with a rumble.

Entering the metal door, we could see the gate in the center of the collapsed buildings. Around the gate, small crystals emitting a purple light seemed to grow, indicating the attribute of the gate.

Before stepping into the gate, I looked at Kang Do-hoon, “You’re really going to follow? I can’t protect you.”

“Who asked for your protection?! I’m strong enough to navigate a D-class dungeon on my own!”

“Hmm.” I suspiciously stared at him before nodding. ‘If he’s in trouble, he’ll leave on his own.’

Even then, I didn’t know how my slight complacency would bring about such a great danger.