88 - Murim Login

Chapter 88 "Son?" Her eyes widened upon noticing me. Mom, wearing an apron with the restaurant's name and oil-stained rubber gloves. My mom. Her stunned face quickly shifted to a look of bewilderment. "Ta-Taekyung, how did you end up here?" Just as I gave a bright smile to my flustered mother, a sharp voice pierced my ears. "Are you Mrs. Kim's son?" A middle-aged woman was sizing me up with wary eyes. There's no need to ask who she is or what she does. I already know this woman's identity. "Hello, I'm Jin Taekyung." "Oh? Hmm. I see." The manager, who let out a pointless cough at my polite bow, asked, "But what brings you here all of a sudden?" I answered with a gentle smile, "Does a son need a reason to visit his mother?" "A reason?" The manager's eyes narrowed. "You youngsters are so thoughtless sometimes. How do you think it feels for me as the owner when someone suddenly shows up unannounced?” "It must be annoying." "Exactly!" "It's lunchtime, and the place is bustling, with the kitchen and hall both crazily busy." "……Exactly." "But suddenly, the employee's son shows up without a word? As a manager, I can understand why you'd be upset." "You're quite perceptive." What is this kid? That's probably what the manager is thinking right now. I ignored the manager's confused reaction and tugged on my mom's arm. "With that said, we’ll be going now. Mom, get changed, and let's head out." "What?" "A-son?" Both looked bewildered. With a nonchalant expression, I asked, "Why?" "What do you mean, why?" "Is there a problem?" "Are you messing with me, young man? Did you forget everything you just said?" "Oh, you mean about dropping by when it's busy and being a nuisance?" "Yes! You said it yourself, acknowledging how it might bother me, and now you forget? Are you toying with us?!" "Oh no, I wouldn’t do that." "Then what is this?" "What I said was sincere. From the manager's perspective, that’s understandable. But..." I continued with a wide smile, “Our mom's not an employee here anymore." "What?" "Don’t get it? She's quitting. As of this moment." A heavy silence fell. My mom just stared blankly at me, while the manager, whose face turned crimson, screamed. "On whose authority!" "On our authority." "You think I’ll just let you leave like that!" "And if you don’t?" "Why you little—!" That was the limit. The manager's patience snapped. "You little brat!" But the hand raised along with the profanity didn't reach its target. Firmly. Someone promptly seized the manager's wrist, eyes glaring fiercely. Mom, exuding a presence that would even make top martial artists flinch, spat the words out. "Trying to lay a hand on my kid, you wretched hag?" I’d heard harsh words in the hall earlier, but seeing my mom cursing was a first. She's someone who wouldn’t even gossip about others in front of her kid... "And what? You're calling whom the brat? Your own son’s the brat, you pig-headed woman!" "That cheeky brat, really! Hey!" I stood in between my mom and the manager, enough to make my presence felt without saying a word. “All right, calm down, calm down." "Move aside, won’t you? You think you’ll get away with this!" "Yes, I think I’ll sleep warm and eat well." "Eeeek!" The manager, eyes twisted in rage, began to flail her arms wildly. Of course, her attack didn’t threaten me at all. 'Hardly call that an attack.' Compared to the opponents faced in gates and martial realms, it was no more than a fly’s flutter. With my increased muscle, coordination, and durability, even a strong adult male couldn’t faze me now. “Please, stop. You’re looking really tired.” Just as expected, the manager’s outburst ended soon. With her age in the fifties and a body burdened by obesity, her stamina had clear limitations. “Panting, and you, as a Hunter, harassing a civilian?” I admired the structure of her brain for coming up with such a claim. “Me? Harassing you?” "Can’t you see I’m hurt? My nail’s broken and bleeding!” "Well, you hurt yourself trying to hit me. I was just standing here; you’re the one trembling all alone." "Regardless!" At this point, it was a comedic scene. Glancing around, I saw the kitchen staff and even the restaurant guests watching the manager’s stand-up comedy with drained expressions. “If you can’t accept it, go ahead and call the police. We have about 50 witnesses here, so it’s perfect.” "Aren't you calling? Since you’ve been hurt by a Hunter, you'd have to file a report with the police, sue, and hire a lawyer. Your schedule’s about to get busy from tomorrow.” I intended to tease her more, but the conversation started feeling like a waste of time. Clicking my tongue in displeasure, I remarked, “Does being a manager make you a mayor or something? Stop troubling others and act decently. Well then, we’re leaving.” Just as I was about to turn away, the manager’s twisted face held a sly grin. “You, you live in Bucheon, right?” “And?” "Which guild in Bucheon?" “Would you recognize it if I told you?” "My son would. My Minsu also works as a Hunter in Bucheon." "Oh, really?” “I’ve heard that among Hunters, everyone’s somehow connected. If word gets out in the community that you’re a nuisance, who knows how long you’ll manage.” "I’m known to be diligent and skilled, so I should be fine for a while. Is that enough?” "Do you know Minsoo Kim? My son should be quite famous in Bucheon." Minsoo Kim? Sure. Over the past seven years, I’ve come across more than thirty Minsus. I replied absentmindedly. “Do you know SungJin Ho? He’s the most famous in our boarding house.” “Hah, a boarding house? F-rank Hunter, makes sense, given your level. Struggling to make a living?” "Thank you for your concern, but... I have my means. Just earned 4 billion yesterday.” “How much?” “4 billion." I didn't want to brag about money like a child, but they just had to provoke the sleeping lion. However, they overlooked one crucial point. People often base their judgments solely on their common sense. “Forty billion? Does an F-rank Hunter really make that much?” “Of course, it’s just talk. According to a Hunter I know, an F-rank can make maybe 100 million if they work really hard. Besides, did you hear him say he made 40 billion in a single day, not even an annual salary? It’s not like he won the lottery. How is that possible?” “Oh, I thought it was true for a moment.” The restaurant guests, including the kitchen staff who seemed to be silently rooting for me, shifted to skeptical looks. Well, admittedly, even to me, it sounds quite far-fetched. “Son, is it true?” My mom, with eyes wide open, asked. The manager scoffed. “Yeah, right. Like our Minsu could earn that much.” “I’ve been curious for a while, what’s the grade of this famous Minsu? An A-rank?” “He’s a D-rank Hunter.” "Why, is it too high and surprising?" “Well, to be honest, it is surprising.” The manager spoke so confidently; I half-expected their son to be a Monkey. D. Minsu or something. There are no renowned D-rank Hunters in Bucheon, so my momentary silence must have been misinterpreted. The manager chuckled and sneered. “A D-rank Hunter like my son is what you need to be respected and live well anywhere. How could you even speak up being an F-rank?” “I didn’t find it too embarrassing. I spoke up just fine.” “But you’d still get ignored, right? In the world of Hunters, rank is everything.” “Oh, yes. Rank rules, indeed.” “One call to Minsu and…" “Yes, yes.” Absentmindedly replying while searching my pocket, the manager raised an eyebrow. “How dare you, when an adult is talking? Do you want Minsu to teach you a lesson?” “Just looking for something. Ah, here it is.” “And what’s that?” “Curious? See for yourself.” My wallet was overflowing with point cards and discount coupons, making it a task to find what I needed. The manager’s jaw dropped when checking the thin silver card I handed over. “…A C-rank Hunter?” “Personally, I believe in the power of Hunter ranks. What are your thoughts?” “N-no way. I definitely heard you were an F-rank…” “I was F-rank. Now I'm C-rank. Your information is quite outdated.” “This-this isn’t fake, right? The color’s completely different from my Minsu’s certificate!” “His certificate is brass-colored, right?” “I used to have that one too. Lower-ranked Hunters have brass, intermediates have silver. Didn’t you know?” Stifled laughter bubbled up all around. The atmosphere completely flipped. My mom, smiling proudly, took my arm, while the manager began to stammer with a beet-red face. “Does Hunter rank even matter? C-rank or D-rank, just a one-grade difference, they’re practically the same.” Listening to such nonsense, I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief. “It doesn’t seem right for someone who dismisses people based on rank to say that.” “Does title matter more than where you work? Is it more important to be from a big company? Isn’t it true that a deputy manager at a major corporation is more respected than a department head at a small firm?” “I don’t know about that… but it seems the customers here don't agree with you.” I gestured to the patrons filling the hall, many of whom, as employees of small businesses, stared at the manager with barely concealed disgust. “What’s with that lady?” “Ugh, such a turn off.” “We haven’t even got our food yet, should we just leave?” “Yes, let’s go.” “Everyone, let’s move. There’s a decent rice house just ahead. I may not be a deputy manager at a big company, but as a department head at a small firm, I’ll treat you all.” The scraping of chairs followed as five or six subordinates rose with him. Similar scenes unfolded all over the hall. “Sir, that’s not what I meant. Sir!” “What do you mean, not? Let’s see if I ever come back here.” “The order's in; if you leave now…” “Looks like the kitchen’s going to take an hour at least. It’s all right, we’re leaving too.” Despite the waitstaff's pleas, the people flowed out like a receding tide. Within just about a minute, fewer than ten customers remained in the hall. ‘Ah, I can already hear the sound of the restaurant failing.’ The manager was now trembling with a mix of rage and shock. “You, you people… “So, which guild does your son belong to again?” “Our Minsu is doing exceptionally well in Sangdong Guild! A guy like you…” “Sorry, where?" “Sangdong Guild! They provide him with a house and car.” “Oh, Sangdong Guild. Hold on a moment.” What a fantastic coincidence. Suppressing my laughter, I pulled out my smartphone and made a call. Beep beep, click. -What’s the occasion? “Why? Do we only call each other when there’s something specific?” -…I’ve already wired the promised 40 billion. “Oh, I checked. Received it well.” The speakerphone allowed everyone to hear the conversation clearly. 40 billion. Truth revealed about my previous claim had everyone’s eyes bulge out. Ignoring the stares, I moved to the point. “Do you know someone called Kim Minsu?” -Kim Minsu? Never heard of him. “You’re the team leader at Sangdong Guild and don’t know? They say he's a D-rank Hunter in your guild.” -…There are too many D-ranks to count. Why would I? Did you call just for this? Yes, hang up. Having Im Chang-su’s business card in case of potential unpaid fees turned out to be a stroke of genius. Hanging up the call, the manager asked with a stammer. “Wh-who was it?” “Didn’t you hear? He’s the team leader of Sangdong Guild. To put it simply, Minsu’s supervisor.” “…Team leader? Supervisor?” “Oh, and additionally, one more thing—he’s the son of Sangdong Guild’s head, so he could be Minsu’s future employer as well.” The manager’s face turned paper white. There was no longer any need or reason to continue the conversation. I turned to my mom. “Shall we go?” “Let’s.” Mom, Kim Jeong-hee, beamed as she tossed her work uniform into the sink. Of course, she didn’t forget to address the manager with one final remark. “As a parent, live honorably.” "Hey, lady. How dare you speak about someone’s precious child like that?" That was the final blow. Without a word, the manager hung her head, and we left the establishment with light steps. "Son, have you eaten yet? There’s cheonggukjang and kimchi pancakes at home." “Wow, that sounds like a feast.” What a lovely day it is.