Pyeong-ari hung up the phone. Then, the dungeon raid team crowded around her as if they had been waiting.
It was natural, but among them was Jong-sik. He spoke on behalf of the team.
“Why. What’s the matter?”
Pyeong-ari, who rarely showed dissatisfaction, was making an uncomfortable expression throughout the call.
‘What on earth could this call be about….’
The team waited for Pyeong-ari’s answer. After a short sigh, Pyeong-ari replied.
“Um, it seems like we’ll have to postpone the training briefing for a while.”
“Why?”
“It seems that overseas hunters have been dispatched to benchmark the integrated defense training. They said from above to wait for them and join them for the training.”
The schedule was messed up from the beginning. If only the guests hadn’t arrived, they would have been in the training briefing by now….
But Pyeong-ari wouldn’t make a fuss over such a small matter. There must be some other reason.
“Hmm. But where are they from overseas?”
“About ten countries, I guess. Japan, China, the Philippines, France… Anyway, there are many. But it seems our team is up against the Chinese team.”
“China?”
“Yes. It’s a team led by Sun-hong….”
The answer was quickly found. It seemed to be because of someone named ‘Sun-hong’. The burst of complaints that followed proved it.
“Sun-hong? The Sun-hong we know?”
Nods.
“Ugh, of all places, why did they have to come here? It’s going to be a headache.”
“Tsk. It would be better if they just kept quiet.”
“No, what are we going to do if they don’t keep quiet? This isn’t even their country.”
“It’s because they’re abnormal.”
“Agreed.”
“Will Sun-yang come too?”
“Probably, right? Who knows what else they’ll steal….”
The team members’ reactions were not much different from Pyeong-ari’s. If anything, they were even more heated.
Who on earth was this person Sun-hong that elicited such reactions? Jong-sik asked again.
“Who exactly is this Sun-hong?”
“What? You really don’t know the Sun siblings?”
Jong-sik nodded in response to Su Seon-hwa’s question.
Until just a moment ago, she had seemed like a stranger, but now Su Seon-hwa was suddenly close to Jong-sik, chattering away. Finally, her true colors were showing.
“Well, how could you not know? The Sun siblings are famous.”
“Well, I don’t have any acquaintance with them. So, could you enlighten me, Su Seon-hwa?”
“Um. In a word, they’re truly despicable people. Team Leader Sun-hong is a prominent hunter active in China, known for appearing on hateful broadcasts and making inflammatory remarks. And his younger sister Sun-yang…”
Su Seon-hwa glanced at Pyeong-ari and lowered her voice. Why was she glancing at Pyeong-ari? Jong-sik asked again.
“What about Sun-yang?”
Su Seon-hwa muttered in response.
“She’s no less despicable than her brother, if not more.”
“Does she also appear on hateful broadcasts? Or did she have some feud with Pyeong-ari’s team leader?”
It was a whisper to nudge Pyeong-ari. And sure enough, Su Seon-hwa nodded.
“To be precise, they’re arch-rivals of the Healing Guild. They’ve been stealing ideas for Healing Guild products for years now. Even thieves couldn’t be that shameless.”
“But if her brother is a prominent hunter in China, so why would she do that for money?”
“Oh, come on. She’s rolling in dough. It’s just her character that’s like that.”
Sun-yang, Sun-hong’s younger sister, was active as a healer, just like Pyeong-ari, the team leader.
Simultaneously, she was involved in developing potions. Ironically, Pyeong-ari was also doing the same.
In title alone, Pyeong-ari was the team leader, but in reality, she was the successor to the Healing Guild.
They were in the same profession, similar age group, and same gender, so one would expect them to get along.
However, Pyeong-ari despised Sun-yang. And she wasn’t the only one. If you were a member of the Healing Guild, you couldn’t help but hate Sun-yang.
That’s understandable, considering they’re copying and selling products released by the Healing Guild.
However, they don’t have the ability to perfectly copy the contents.
So, they release them with the same packaging, marketing, and even the product names copied exactly.
“So, that’s why everyone hates them so much.”
Jong-sik nodded as he listened to the explanation. Now he understood the harsh words popping up here and there.
Murmurs.
Jong-sik glanced around lightly. The gathered guild members were discussing among themselves.
The murmuring grew louder.
“What a bunch of jerks. They’re always bragging about their country being great, but now they come here and want to benchmark our training methods?”
“Benchmark my foot. They’ll probably go back home and claim they invented everything we do.”
“Ugh, I really hate this. I don’t have to hang out with them for the whole week, do I?
“Why do you think I’m the one who’s okay with this? I’m also curious if they would say the same things in front of us.
“What’s good about it? You don’t know, that’s why. They have really thick skin. I remember when I participated in the World Alliance operation with Team Leader Pyeong-ari…”
Just as someone was about to bring up the joint operation story.
“Enough, everyone, stop it!”
Pyeong-ari, the team leader, stepped forward. She had the duty to quell the disturbance.
Instantly, everyone, including Jong-sik, turned their attention to her.
“Sigh, I understand how you all feel. I’m not exactly thrilled about our guests either. But we’re currently engaged in official business, right? So let’s not make it obvious. Let’s greet them professionally. You understand what I mean, right?”
“…Yes.”
Not a single wrong word. Given that this was a large-scale training involving the entire nation, they had to act professionally. However, the expressions as they replied were far from cheerful.
And so, the disturbance seemed to subside.
How much time passed since then?
A group clad in red emerged. They were the dispatched hunters from China. There were five of them. The man standing at the front of the group pretended to recognize Pyeong-ari. That man was Sun-hong.
“Hey, Pyeong-ari!”
To an observer, it might seem like Pyeong-ari was inferior. In an instant, Pyeong-ari and the guild members glanced at each other. Whether they liked it or not, Sun-hong’s meddling didn’t stop.
“Long time no see, huh? The last time we saw each other was…”
“Three years ago during the World Union Operation, that was both the first and the last time. But, Hunter Sun-hong.”
“Is it because you’re still so energetic? Your memory seems good too.”
Nothing has changed since a few years ago. They used to harass her like this back then, just as they were doing now. Pyeong-ari furrowed her brows.
“What did you say?”
“Huh? That look seems to be seriously misunderstanding something.”
“…I hope it was a misunderstanding.”
“Hahaha. Still as prickly as ever. What I just said was simply, ‘Your memory seems vivid because you’re young.'”
“Sigh…. But, Hunter Sun-hong. Did we agree to be this casual? I remember we didn’t.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“I’m asking you to show proper respect.”
“In China, it’s customary to…”
“But we’re in Korea, aren’t we? Please just show basic courtesy. Now, shall we start the training briefing?”
Before Sun-hong could respond, Pyeong-ari turned away. Sun-hong’s face flushed with anger. But that was it.
In his heart, he wanted to assert his power and intimidate her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it now.
“It’s an order from the party. Go there, observe everything they’re doing in their training. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble. Got it?”
It was because of the order from the sky-like party. If it weren’t for that order, he would have drawn his weapon right away.
‘…I have to endure. I have to endure.’
Sun-hong exercised extreme patience.
***
Day 1 of the Integrated Defense Training. The task assigned to the hunters is terrain reconnaissance.
To elaborate:
First, confirm the location of shelters.
Second, cleaning the dungeon near the shelter.
Third, documenting the dungeon’s condition, local landmarks, and the route to the shelter.
This was all part of the training on the first day. In other words, they had to walk around until their feet sweated today.
The Healing Guild members split into five groups to make the most efficient use of time.
“Captain Dok! We’ve completed the reconnaissance of the inner alley terrain.”
Jong-sik’s group boasted the minimum number of members. Pyeong-ari, Su Seon-hwa, Sun-hong, and himself. There were only four of them.
Yet, the area they were assigned was the widest. This was because Dok Jong-sik and Pyeong-ari were residents of Sangwon-dong. They rapidly surveyed and recorded the terrain compared to other teams.
“Oh, Boss Dok. We meet at a good time! These are the tangerines that came in today. Share them with the guild members.”
“Did everyone eat? You’re doing important work, but you need to eat!”
If only they hadn’t encountered the residents, they could have moved even faster.
Despite that, the residents stopped Jong-sik and Pyeong-ari, urging them to eat.
Still, Jong-sik replied kindly. He knew their warm hearts. He also had confidence that they could finish within the time frame.
“It’s okay. Let’s finish mapping and gather at the shelter to have lunch together.”
“Oh my, then we should definitely eat at our house! You know those lunches from the Lunchbox Kingdom? It’s been rumored that they’re terrible.”
She was a resident of Sangwon-dong and the owner of the Ham shop. She grabbed Jong-sik’s sleeve.
Then, Sun-hong chuckled lightly.
“Tsk.”
If even a worm says something is terrible, how bad must it be?
“That’s why they say a small country is a small country.”
He shook his head nervously. Pyeong-ari, seeing this, couldn’t stay silent. She dispelled the misunderstanding of the Ham shop lady.
“Not anymore. We’ve entrusted the lunch business to Jong-pal. Today is the first day.”
“Jong-pal? Are you talking about Dok’s restaurant owner?”
“Yes!”
“Oh my, what a surprise. I didn’t know that. No wonder they closed shop this morning!”
The unexpected news widened the eyes of the resident, and Jong-sik subtly closed his eyes upon seeing her.
“So, I’ll come back to eat next time.”
“Of course, you should. Hurry up and go! I think I’ve kept the people who work too long. Hoho.”
The resident bid farewell with a smile. She clutched her phone in her pocket.
The purpose was to spread the news that Dok’s restaurant owner got the country’s business.
Regardless.
Jong-sik and his team continued with their tasks.
How much time had passed?
Finally, Jong-sik and his team completed the map.
After finishing their mission, they headed to the shelter.
The plan was to eat lunch at the shelter and then tackle the dungeon cleaning schedule.
“Oh? Captain Dok, you’re here!”
Many people had already arrived there. It was understandable.
There were no residents to detain them, and each given area was small.
Anyway, the Healing Guild members who arrived first greeted Dok Jong-sik, and the Chinese dispatch team greeted Sun-hong.
“Oppa!”
Sun-hong looked at his approaching younger sister, Sun-yang. He seemed uncomfortable.
As she grabbed her brother’s sleeve and led him to a corner.
“Oppa, we need to report to the party right away. They seem to be playing dirty tricks against us.”
Sun-yang spoke boldly. The expressions of the gathered team members were not different.
Their demeanor was somewhat different from the Koreans who had completed their morning tasks without much difficulty.
The atmosphere was so grim that even the Koreans who were far away could sense it.
“Do you know why they’re acting like that?”
“I don’t know. Let it go.”
Ignoring Jong-sik and the Koreans, they trembled and sneered at them.
“Do you think they’re showing off because they don’t want to show us?”
“That’s right! Do you plan to let them off like this?”
“Can’t allow that. We must show what happens when a small country opposes a big one.”
The gathering of Chinese individuals expressed deep-seated anger.
