In hunter-dominant South Korea, if one were to list the most famous guilds, there would be three without dispute.
First, Pado.
Second, Samra.
Third, Seowon.
The Samra Guild was officially South Korea's first guild. Led by Song Jo-heon, who revealed that post-awakening rank increases from A to S were possible, Samra built a solid foundation over a long period and became a substantial pillar in the Korean hunter community.
The Seowon Guild was famous for a different reason. Their main building housed a giant library connected to another dimension. It was like an ark of knowledge collected after the Day of the Rift. They pursued knowledge over money or fame and focused more on research than actual combat.
And lastly, Pado. The Pado Guild needed no lengthy introduction. Two words were enough to summarize it.
The elite team, and Lee Sa-young.
***
One side of the spacious meeting room in the Pado Guild was a glass wall that offered a panoramic view of the city. Bae Won-woo, the Vice-Guild Leader of Pado, walked across the room holding a tablet and knocked to draw attention.
"Alright, let's start checking attendance… Does anyone know why four people are missing?"
He had set up chairs for the exact number of attendees, but four seats were empty. He hadn't received any notifications of absences. Was there an emergency rift somewhere? As Bae Won-woo scratched his head, a woman with bright red hair tied in a half-ponytail raised her hand.
"Vice-Guild Leader~ They're in the infirmary. It's been a day, I think."
"What? Why? They didn't even enter a dungeon."
At his puzzled question, the red-haired woman, Kang Ji-soo, shrugged.
"I don't know. They came back beaten up from somewhere."
"What? Who the hell beat up our members? Are we just going to let that slide?"
"Of course, we wanted to hit back. But the Guild Leader told us to leave it alone."
Bae Won-woo's eyes quickly darted to Lee Sa-young, who was sitting at the head of the table, fiddling with something with an indifferent expression. Sensing the gaze, Lee Sa-young tilted his head slightly.
"What?"
"Our guys got beaten up, and you just want to let it go? That's not the Pado way."
"Leave it. It's an order from the Guild Leader."
Lee Sa-young replied lazily, still disinterested. Bae Won-woo squinted, trying to see what Lee Sa-young was so engrossed with. It looked like a crumpled business card.
"What's that in your hand?"
"A letter."
"A letter? From who?"
"You're awfully curious…"
Lee Sa-young tilted his head towards the guild members.
"Let's start the meeting."
"Jeez… Ji-soo, make sure to brief those who are laid up later."
"Ugh, why is it always me?"
Kang Ji-soo grumbled, but Bae Won-woo didn't respond and stepped onto the podium, adjusting the microphone. Clearing his throat, he began.
"Let's proceed with the quarterly dungeon bid meeting. Open the files sent by the support team on your tablets."
The meeting, which started with data on several dungeons, ended faster than expected as everyone's opinion converged on one dungeon. Bae Won-woo, standing at the podium, adjusted the microphone and announced the result.
"Uh… unless there are objections, we will participate in the bid for the Jongno 3-ga underground dungeon for the fourth quarter. Any objections?"
"None!"
"Alright, Jongno 3-ga is convenient in terms of transportation, and the materials inside are good."
"Isn't that where life recovery potion ingredients are found? Why did the government release such a prime spot for bidding?"
"Probably because they need money. The bid price will be exorbitantly high."
After it was revealed that dungeon and monster byproducts could be monetized, hunters went a step further by leaving useful dungeons open. They began to regularly explore almost-cleared dungeons and collect byproducts for profit. Additionally, the government and the Awakened Management Bureau researched unowned dungeons and auctioned off the valuable ones.
Normally, the Guild Leader and Vice-Guild Leader would discuss and participate in auctions, but this quarter had too many valuable dungeons, making it a difficult decision. Hence, Bae Won-woo had convened today's meeting to gather everyone's opinions. Although it ended simply.
"With this, the meeting is over…"
"Wait."
Lee Sa-young, who had been quietly listening throughout the meeting, raised his hand. The guild members, who had been preparing to wrap up, focused their attention. Bae Won-woo, who was about to conclude, blinked.
"What's up, Sa-young?"
"Do you have something to say…?"
"Is there an issue?"
Curious eyes turned to Lee Sa-young. Was there something he didn't like? A bid for another dungeon? Were they planning to snatch another guild's bid rights?
But what came out of his mouth was unexpected.
"Has anyone seen a man wearing an apron with a soju brand logo around here?"
"A soju brand apron? Out of the blue?"
"Yeah. Black. He also carries a ladle about this big."
"A ladle?"
"He has a delicate face and black hair… or was it grey?"
"A delicate face? Black but grey hair?"
Lee Sa-young made a round shape with his hands. Bae Won-woo, the sturdy shield of the Pado Guild, looked around as if asking if this was some kind of joke. But everyone was just as puzzled, offering no insight.
'None of you know?'
'If the Vice-Guild Leader doesn't know, who would?'
It was as if their silent thoughts echoed in the air.
No! Lee Sa-young wouldn't have brought this up for no reason right before the meeting ended. As Bae Won-woo racked his brain, he scratched his cheek and asked.
"Did you see… a soju promotion event?"
Bae Won-woo was a diligent and reliable tanker but lacked keen intelligence. His deduction was way off, but since no one else had any better ideas, they went along with it.
"Oh~ Guild Leader, did you visit a supermarket?"
"No way, if he had, it would've been all over social media by now."
"That's true."
"Isn't it odd to walk around wearing an apron in the first place?"
"Well, if he works at a restaurant, it makes sense."
"Why is the Guild Leader looking for a restaurant worker?"
"Beats me. Maybe he had a great meal and forgot to take off the apron."
"Usually, the owner tells you to leave the apron behind when you pay, though."
"You're all useless."
After listening to various suggestions, Lee Sa-young coldly assessed.
"No, who brought up the apron-wearing guy in the middle of a bid discussion?"
Bae Won-woo banged the podium in frustration. The wooden podium dented under his fist. The head of the administration team adjusted his glasses, which flashed as he seized the moment.
"Vice-Guild Leader, I'll send an invoice for the podium replacement."
"Oh, come on. Can't you let it slide just once?"
Amid the sudden commotion, Lee Sa-young stood up, rolling his shoulders and slipping the crumpled business card into his pocket. Ignoring Bae Won-woo, who was pleading with the admin team leader, Lee Sa-young waved his hand to signal the end of the meeting.
"That's enough. Meeting adjourned. Go eat."
"Hey, Sa-young! Don't skip meals again!"
Lee Sa-young left the meeting room first without replying to the affectionate nagging that followed him. Watching him leave, Bae Won-woo sighed deeply. Kang Ji-soo shrugged.
"Isn't it normal for him to skip meals? Let's just eat."
"Alright, let's go get some hangover soup."
"Ah! If you're having hangover soup again, I'm not eating with you."
"Want to join me? My treat."
"Ah, I can't hear you. I'll eat at the cafeteria. Enjoy your meal alone."
Before Bae Won-woo could persuade her, Kang Ji-soo swiftly escaped the meeting room. With a last glimmer of hope, Bae Won-woo asked the remaining members.
"Anyone want to join me?"
As soon as he spoke, the hunters quickly left the room. They weren't even this fast when fleeing from a second-tier monster!
"Isn't it disrespectful to Pado's spirit for the Guild Leader to be so detached from loyalty!"
In the end, Bae Won-woo had to head to the hangover soup restaurant alone. The old, well-known hangover soup restaurant he frequented was famous, but that wasn't the only reason for his daily visits.
First, where people gather, rumors spread quickly! By chatting with the hunters there, I can gather information and build connections! This profound reasoning was Bae Won-woo's justification for his regular lunch visits. The satisfaction of seeing his autograph on the restaurant's old wallpaper was a bonus.
Second, the restaurant maintained its old prices even when the economy was crazy, served delicious food, and offered generous portions. It made you wonder how they even made a profit. The brusque welcome from the elderly owner added to its charm. The hangover soup restaurant was the only place that remained unchanged since the Day of the Rift.
It was a few months ago that a young man in his early twenties suddenly appeared in the restaurant.