Chapter 11
After carefully checking the documents handed over by Kim Sung-hoon, Jo Kang-hyun cautiously opened his mouth.
"Is everything written here true?"
To Jo Kang-hyun's question, mixed with surprise and doubt, Kim Sung-hoon answered firmly as if he had been waiting.
"There's not a single lie, Lee Sung-jun is an exceptional returnee. He was by far the most impressive among the many returnees we've seen so far. Especially when hunting the boss monster, the Orc Warrior...!"
"..."
Kim Sung-hoon continued to pour out words in a somewhat excited tone, but Jo Kang-hyun remained silent.
This was understandable as Kim Sung-hoon, being part of the returnee management team, had managed and monitored many returnees.
However, there had never been a single returnee who received such a favorable evaluation that he would come directly with a written report like this.
'... So, he must be even more anxious.'
The power of large guilds established by awakened ones and the returnee alliance, forces created under the pretext of guaranteeing their autonomy and right to survival in the past, was no exaggeration to say that it rivaled that of the military, or even the state.
Moreover, the leadership of the returnee alliance was filled with individuals who, by modern standards, held inhuman and dangerous ideologies.
Fortunately, they were in a state of equilibrium with the guilds established by the awakened ones, so they couldn't easily make moves as they were busy keeping each other in check.
In other words, the returnee alliance was ready to overturn the balance of power as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
'In this situation, what if the returnee alliance recruits a talent who could potentially reach SSS rank?'
The balance of power would collapse in an instant, and the era of returnees would begin.
It would be a wise choice to immediately report to the vice president and prepare for recruitment, or at least form a special team to thoroughly manage and monitor Lee Sung-jun's movements.
"Sung-hoon, I understand what you're thinking, but as you know, given the unfavorable internal and external situations these days, we can't directly report to the vice president based on just potential."
"If it were merely potential, I wouldn't have come to report directly like this. I believe that Lee Sung-jun's current skill level has reached at least E rank."
"E rank?"
The rank of Lee Sung-jun in the document he had just seen was clearly only F.
However, it wasn't entirely impossible in reality.
Jo Kang-hyun immediately lowered his head and carefully reviewed the documents in his hand once again.
There were some returnees who continued their personal training after returning to Earth without updating their rank.
But surprisingly, Lee Sung-jun had been evaluated just a week ago.
"What exactly happened? Explain it to me in detail so I can understand."
As Jo Kang-hyun asked with his head tilted back, Kim Sung-hoon immediately opened his mouth.
"I don't know the exact details either, but it seems... Lee Sung-jun is a returnee whose growth method or speed cannot be measured by our common sense."
In fact, there were occasionally returnees who grew in extraordinary ways.
Therefore, he could understand this situation to some extent, but his surprise wasn't completely gone.
'Even if he can grow through a special method, it's not easy to grow from F to E rank in just a week.'
Considering that it takes hunters at F rank 1 to 3 months to acquire E rank combat power, this was an unbelievable speed.
In fact, the only person in South Korea who had reached E rank from F in just a week was Yoon Min-soo, known as the Sword Master.
Now he understood why Kim Sung-hoon was making such a fuss.
Jo Kang-hyun, who had unknowingly swallowed dry saliva, carefully opened his mouth.
"Do you know what job Lee Sung-jun has transitioned to?"
Although it might seem somewhat out of the blue, it was a very important question.
The jobs of returnees are determined based on their past memories and abilities, so the acquired job could be a good source of information to gauge the strength of a returnee to some extent.
But unfortunately, Kim Sung-hoon was shaking his head and opening his mouth.
"He took the returnee assessment just a week ago and went hunting for the first time today."
"... So you're saying he showed E-rank level skills when he's not even level 10?"
Looking at Jo Kang-hyun, who let out a small laugh as if in disbelief, Kim Sung-hoon spoke with a confident expression.
"Didn't I write it in the report? Mr. Lee Sung-jun is a returnee of historical caliber!"
Although he couldn't make an accurate judgment as he hadn't seen everything about Lee Sung-jun, he was undoubtedly an individual with some tremendous, great ability.
Just looking at him was enough to make one's heart race.
"I think we need to report to the vice president as soon as possible and recruit Lee Sung-jun before large guilds or the returnee alliance catch wind of this."
Unlike Kim Sung-hoon, who was speaking in an excited voice, Jo Kang-hyun's eyes were cold.
'It's too unbelievable.'
It was already surprising that he had acquired E-rank combat ability in just a week.
But to be in this state without even reaching level 10 or transitioning to a job?
If Kim Sung-hoon's report was all true, Lee Sung-jun was literally an unprecedented existence.
That's why Jo Kang-hyun couldn't easily accept the existence of Lee Sung-jun.
'There could be some kind of trick.'
To be honest, it was more realistic to think that he had gone hunting in a dungeon or field secretly without a registration card.
However, Kim Sung-hoon was called an ace within the returnee management team, and it was unlikely that he hadn't checked these details thoroughly before reporting.
'A trick that could even deceive Sung-hoon, who's an ace...'
As a team leader, it was worth checking personally.
'And if Lee Sung-jun really has the potential to be SSS rank...'
The landscape of South Korea would change depending on which side recruits Lee Sung-jun.
Jo Kang-hyun, having made his decision, nodded.
"Alright, since you're insisting so much, Sung-hoon, I'll meet him personally as soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning."
By now, thoughts of vacation had completely disappeared from Jo Kang-hyun's mind.
* * *
After finishing his first hunt and heading home, an undisguisable smile was flowing on Lee Sung-jun's face.
This was inevitable as the E-grade magic stone obtained from the boss monster, Orc Warrior, and the by-products obtained from goblins were sold for as much as 4 million won.
[Available Balance: 3,217,000]
Although it was a pity that 20 percent of the amount had evaporated in the unexpected area of taxes, this was an unavoidable part related to the law.
'There's no need to be attached to unnecessary things.'
Perhaps because they took such a large tax of 20 percent, the seller's handling of the matter was certain and fast.
The moment the sale of the by-products was confirmed, 3.2 million won was immediately deposited into the account linked to the returnee registration card.
Thanks to this, even after generously purchasing beef at a nearby butcher shop for his family to eat, there was still 2.7 million won left in the account.
'With this much money...'
It could be a significant help to his family who were struggling with living expenses.
Of course, today's income was just the tip of the iceberg.
With this first hunt today, he became confident that he would be able to earn an enormous amount of money in the near future.
This meant they could move to a nice house, and all family members could pursue their dreams while doing what they want to do.
It meant that they could enjoy the happy life with family that he had longed for so much.
While imagining a happy future in his head, Lee Sung-jun, who had been moving his feet busily, finally stood in front of the house door.
Room 102, located in a semi-basement.
Perhaps because he had adapted somewhat over the week, he now pressed the doorlock password with familiar hand movements.
Then, the moment he vigorously opened the front door.
"You're back?"
His younger sister, Lee Seo-yoon, who was walking out of the room, was the first to greet Lee Sung-jun cheerfully.
"You're a bit late today."
"Son, are you home? I just started preparing the meal, so wash your hands and feet and rest in your room for a bit!"
Following that, his father and mother, Lee Soo-hyuk and Kim Ji-young, who were preparing dinner together in the living room, poked their heads out and welcomed him with bright faces.
Feeling the warmth contained in these simple greetings, Lee Sung-jun raised the bag he was holding with a bright smile on his face.
"No, I'll prepare dinner tonight."
"What's this?"
"Son, where did you get the money..."
The family's eyes widened as they saw the gleaming red beef contained in the plastic bag.
"I bought it to commemorate the day I earned money for the first time."
Lee Sung-jun quickly washed his hands and feet, leaving behind his family who couldn't close their mouths.
Then, with familiar movements, he started laying out newspaper in the living room.
Because four family members were living in a small house, there wasn't enough space to sleep, so the living room was also being used as a bedroom.
Finally, Lee Sung-jun unfolded the folding table, turned up the burner, and said while holding up tongs and scissors.
"I'll grill the meat too, so you can just relax and eat."
"No... Dad will grill the meat."
Lee Sung-jun shook his head vigorously at the sight of Lee Soo-hyuk, who was still somewhat dazed, reaching out his hand.
"As it's the day I earned money for the first time, please let me treat you properly for tonight's dinner."
At Lee Sung-jun's firm words, Kim Ji-young and Lee Seo-yoon, who were looking at the two men, nodded their heads.
"Honey, our son wants to show some filial piety, why are you being so tactless?"
Kim Ji-young answered with her usual bright smile on her wrinkled eyes.
"That's right, he's finally starting to show filial piety after neglecting it for 26 years, at times like this, Dad should definitely help out."
Lee Seo-yoon, who usually took charge of household chores, also said with a pleased face.
"Although there's no evidence, I've grilled all sorts of meat from wild boar to beef, so please trust me once."
Lee Sung-jun, with a confident smile, picked up the tongs and placed the red beef with beautiful marbling like white flowers on the heated grill.
Sizzle-!
The moment the red blood of the beef disappeared, Lee Sung-jun immediately picked up the beef with tongs and placed it on his family's plates.
"Now's the time, eat quickly."
The eyes of the family members who put the beef in their mouths at Lee Sung-jun's urging became as round as full moons.
"Wow, it's really delicious."
Lee Seo-yoon, giving a thumbs up, kept letting out exclamations of admiration.
"Mmm!"
"Thanks to our son, we get to eat such high-quality beef."
The smiles didn't leave the corners of Lee Soo-hyuk and Kim Ji-young's mouths either.
As Lee Sung-jun's chest was swelling with pride at the sight of his family eating deliciously, an unexpected word flowed from Lee Seo-yoon's mouth.
"Hunters really do make good money, huh?"
"... How did you know?"
"Isn't it weird not to know? You go out every morning to exercise and build up your stamina, and this morning you were sitting in the living room with a very serious expression."
"So you all knew?"
"To be honest, we were unsure, but now we're certain thanks to you suddenly buying beef."
Lee Sung-jun realized that all his family members' eyes were now focused on him, and he scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.