83 - Murim Login

Chapter 83 Im Chang-su's attention had been entirely focused on Song Song since earlier. 'Damn, she's playing hard to get.' He had deliberately lingered nearby and tried to engage her in conversation multiple times, but Song Song's responses were always dry and curt. "Oh, yes. Thank you. I understand." For the effort he put in, the returns were miserably small. 'What a difficult woman.' It is said that women look at a man's face when they're young, and his body and capabilities as they get older. Having all three, Im Chang-su had never failed in his pursuits before. There were instances where women, feeling disillusioned by his frivolous relationships, left him first, or he got bored and dumped them. But such indifference as now was a first. 'At least she knows her own worth.' Even when he was annoyed, his anger would melt away upon seeing Song Song's smooth figure and ethereal face. Her intoxicating natural scent, entirely unlike the artificial fragrance of other women, played a part, too. 'No need to rush. She'll come around eventually.' There's still plenty of time. The Minotaur's Maze is literally a labyrinth. The raid time can stretch up to twice that of other gates. That's ample time to woo a single woman. If only there wasn't one issue... 'That one guy is annoying.' Was his name Choi Min-woo? He looks more suited to a fashion magazine than inside a gate. His glossy face, long limbs, and the unique stoic expression all got on Im Chang-su's nerves. 'The rest are nobodies.' The grinning old man and the bandit-like guy were not even in the running. There was another young guy named Jang Tae-gyeong, but he wasn't worth considering as competition. 'There's something annoyingly cocky about him, though he’s just a run-of-the-mill C-rank Hunter. Not part of a major guild, just surviving day by day by leasing mismatched high-end equipment, yet his manner and speech carry an odd confidence.' Toward the end of a recent conversation, Im Chang-su could even sense the annoyance directed at him. 'Is he trying to save face?' Jang Tae-gyeong and Choi Min-woo, the two who bugged him, remained firmly in Im Chang-su's sights and hearing. - Roar! The Minotaur had begun its appearance. “What do you think?” “Wouldn't it be difficult?” Im Chang-su, about to send his subordinates away, paused to listen more closely. “What about you, Tae-gyeong?” “Are you asking me?” Even this much was absurd to hear, but what took the cake was what followed. “I’m not sure.” A C-rank Hunter, unsure about facing eight Minotaurs? One-on-one, he'd be a goner in under a minute. 'Madmen. They should write novels.' Im Chang-su, who had scoffed, suddenly paused. A thought flashed: an opportunity to humiliate the two guys who irked him in front of Song Song. This drove him to abruptly cut into their conversation. “You were discussing something quite amusing, so I thought I'd listen in. Is that alright?” He planned to demand an apology, ridicule them, and make it clear who was superior. Unexpectedly... "Then should I call you Sheep Chang-su?" "What?" "Whether it's Im Chang-su or Sheep Chang-su, does it matter what your name is to me?" Sheep Chang-su. Im Chang-su's brain came to a halt at the insult he was hearing for the first time in his life. A heavy silence settled. The Sangdong Guild, The Peace Guild, even the Minotaurs seemed to quiet. In that suffocating stillness, the man finally spoke. "…Hey, you punk." By now, sticking with formal speech seemed silly. So, I gave a refreshing reply. "What, you punk." “Are you really out of your mind?” “Earthlings are all going in circles. Haven't you heard of geocentrism, you ignorant brat?” Just then, Team Leader Choi interrupted. "That's heliocentrism. Geocentrism states that Earth is fixed at the center of the universe, around which the moon, sun, and planets orbit on their celestial spheres… umph." Im Keok-jeong’s hand, as large as a cauldron lid, silenced Team Leader Choi. “Umph. What's happening. Umph umph.” Honestly, I'd wish he would just drop dead. There's a limit to how clueless someone can be. It almost seemed like he was paid by the Sangdong Guild to act this clueless. “To think I'm engaging with people like these.” Im Chang-su looked at me and Team Leader Choi with incredulous eyes. “How do air-headed fools like you become Hunters?” “Do they recruit based on GPA? TOEIC scores above 900 make you B-rank, fluent in Chinese and you’re A-rank?” “It would be wise to shut your mouth if you want to live long.” “Wow, now you're threatening me? I'm so scared I can't even pee in the direction of the Sangdong Guild." Creak. Sparks flew from Im Chang-su’s eyes. “Seems you forgot… This is a gate.” “I know, man. I can see the eight Minotaurs heading our way from far off.” Speak of the devil. As if on cue, the roaring sound of bulls echoed. - Moo! “They’re coming!” “What do we do?” “What else? We run! Quickly!” Thud. Thud. Thud. The ground vibrated with each step of the Minotaurs. Watching the team members fleeing desperately, Im Chang-su spat. “Consider yourself lucky.” “I guess I am.” Thanks to getting the system, I’m living a second life. Though I've been through hell, my luck is strangely extraordinary. “Let’s see after I handle them.” “That’s fine with me.” “I hope you can take responsibility for your words.” “I probably can.” I glanced at the level floating above his head. [Lv.65 Im Chang-su] Level 65. Not bad. Compared to his other team members, seeing that he is nearly 10 levels higher, he must be quite good for a B-rank Hunter. Of course, he’s not as good as me. 'Well, skill and personality don't always correlate.' Hunters aren't chosen based on TOEIC scores or personality assessments. I shook my head as I turned away. "So, how about now?" "......?" "Didn't you claim you could handle the Minotaurs by yourself?" Ah, I can guess what he's getting at. His tone and expression made his intentions so transparent that I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I don't recall saying that." "You should be accountable for your words." "I'm not going to play petty games. If you've got a complaint, settle it one-on-one after the raid." Watching the situation unfold with a calm demeanor, Kim Butler and Miss Song also spoke up. "I think it's best for both of you to calm down." "Excuse me, I don't think this is the time for this." Thud, thud, thud. Even at this moment, the Minotaurs were steadily closing in. It's fortunate they were approaching cautiously; otherwise, a fight could have already erupted. "Did you hear that? Let's avoid unnecessary harm to others and wait until later..." "Five bills." "Huh?" Im Chang-su spread his five fingers wide. Not five stars... but five bills, as I suspected. "Is that what I think it is?" "That group of Minotaurs. If you handle them alone, I’ll give you five big ones per head." "Big ones?" "Yes, big ones." Five hundred million won per head. For eight, that's four billion won. Even for a C-rank Hunter like me, that's a hefty sum. But... I didn't want to appear vulnerable to money in front of everyone, especially Miss Song. This was a matter of pride. 'Miss Song. Can you hear my thoughts?' With a profound look, I responded, "I refuse." Im Chang-su's eyebrow twitched. "Even if I give you full rights to the by-products?" "No." "You know a magic stone might come out." "No chance." My resolute reply, like that of a juvenile court judge, made Im Chang-su bite his lip. "A guy with nothing but pride. Refusing forty billion and the rights to by-products." "Just leave... wait. What did you say?" Did I hear him wrong? In those few seconds, countless thoughts whirled in my head. After organizing them, I finally managed to speak. "How much? Forty billion?" "I told you, five big ones." "So… five billion per head?" He should've said a damn huge five bills. Forty billion won was such an unimaginable amount that even I, Miss Song, and Im Keok-jeong were left with our mouths agape. How does he swing such a large sum? As a team leader of a mid-tier guild and a B-rank Hunter, he must earn a lot, but casually proposing tens of billions is another level. "You'll just give that? Forty billion?" "Just give? That wouldn't do. It's a wager." "What kind of wager?" "I need to gain something too." Im Chang-su's lips twisted. "If you die or flee, all current rewards are void. Additionally..." His gaze subtly shifted to rest on someone. "Me?" "Yes, I would like to invite Miss Song to our guild." Im Chang-su bowed politely. His demeanor was so different it was almost chilling. "Oh, that's creepy. Just be yourself. It's much better than pretending." Miss Song, straightforward as always. She visibly shivered, folding her arms. "Sheep Chang-su, was it?" "......Yes." "Let me be blunt. You're not my type." A 160km fastball, straight and true, and Im Chang-su's gaze wavered. "Pardon?" "Tall and handsome, but seems likely to cheat. I hate that. If my hair is messed up after getting it done recently... oh, maybe that's not it?" "Pardon, pardon?" "Anyway, not my type. I can't stand show-offs who flaunt money and are unfaithful." For the first time, I saw Im Chang-su dumbstruck. Perhaps if someone else watched, I wore the same expression. "Well, that face is somewhat okay, but from watching you, you have some personality issues, don't you think?" Im Chang-su answered after barely regaining his composure. "Well, that's something we can work on, right?" You need not taste to know what's what, yet you only seem interested in aligning yourself with me. Isn't that right?" "......!" "......!" Everyone, myself included, was left speechless. Her shy demeanor as she touched her hair delivered blow after blow like nuclear bombs. "Not that I dislike the Sangdong Guild or anything." A repeatedly pummeled Im Chang-su brightened at her words. "Really?" "Nah, I can always move if it doesn't work out here." Miss Song, genius! With a sweet face, she smoothly dealt the coup de grâce and continued. "But before I switch guilds, I need to get the boss's approval. Right, Guild Master?" "Of course." With an amused expression, Kim Butler nodded, and Miss Song turned to him. "What do you think, Team Leader?" "About Miss Song switching guilds?" "This would only happen if this bet is lost." Choi Team Leader nodded nonchalantly. "Go ahead." "Isn't that too easy an answer?" "Simple question, simple answer." Was it only my imagination that perhaps Miss Song looked a bit disappointed? Nah, surely not. Too brief an emotion to mull over, as Miss Song returned to her lively self and addressed Im Chang-su. "Then I'm for the bet. What about you, Tae-gyeong?" "I..." The contemplation wasn't lengthy. Since the moment I first heard Team Leader Choi's question, a strange certainty had settled deep inside me. The certainty that I am stronger than them. "I’ll accept the wager." A grin spread across Team Leader Choi's face. "I'll join too. Bets are more entertaining when the stakes are high, aren't they?" "Oh, quite the gambler, huh? So how much?" “Forty billion. I’ll bet on Jin Tae-gyeong defeating all the Minotaurs.” "What?" After a brief glare at Team Leader Choi, Im Chang-su snickered. "Amusing folks. One has a death wish, and another is eager to lose money." "So what’s your answer?" "Of course, it's a yes." "Should we draft a contract?" "A contract? What do you take me for? I keep my word once it's given. As for you... you don't have to keep yours. I'll make sure you do. Everyone, step back!" The vast, damp cave was transforming into a coliseum. An arena with an enormous sum at stake. I was the gladiator set to face the pack of Minotaurs. "Team Leader Choi, what will you do if I lose?" "You will win." Where is the source of his confidence? Is it his belief in himself, or from watching my performance so far? It doesn’t matter. I just need to do my best to achieve the goal. Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud! - Moo! Each of the creatures 20 meters ahead became clearly visible. The hot breaths, heat, muscles, and raised weapons. I've never fought bulls before. This will be an interesting experience. I gripped my spear tightly. Like a matador, I charged headlong toward the herd of bulls. Login Murim