Chapter 30
Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han walked side by side down the white hallway of the Association-designated hospital.
The fluorescent lights coldly illuminated the floor, while only the occasional footsteps of passing medical staff broke the silence.
Lee Yu-han followed beside Hong Man-gi with a somewhat nervous expression.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi, was Hunter Kang Jae-min badly injured?"
"The doctor said there was nothing wrong with his bones, and his ligaments were fine too. But the impact was pretty strong, so he needs complete rest for a while."
At some point, Hong Man-gi had started speaking casually to him.
Lee Yu-han was now following Hong Man-gi around almost like his newest summoned creature.
Hong Man-gi answered calmly as he stopped in front of Kang Jae-min's hospital room.
Hong Man-gi calmly answered as he stood in front of the hospital room door.
He checked the nameplate that read,
[Kang Jae-min, Room 302]
Then he knocked.
"Come in!"
The voice from inside sounded surprisingly energetic.
When they opened the door and entered, Kang Jae-min was sitting against the bed with one arm in a cast, watching television.
There was more boredom than pain on his face.
"Huh? Chef! Mr. Lee Yu-han! What brings you here?"
Kang Jae-min greeted the two with a happy expression.
He looked much brighter than expected.
"How are you feeling? Are you okay?"
Hong Man-gi asked as he placed a fruit basket on the table beside the bed.
"Yeah, well, it's not bad enough to kill me. But I'm so bored I'm going to die. I'd rather be running a dungeon."
Kang Jae-min joked while lifting his arm in the cast.
Lee Yu-han carefully handed him a bag of drinks.
"I feel like you got hurt because of me... I'm sorry."
"Come on, it wasn't because of you. I was the one who let my guard down. Besides, I got an A-rank knuckle weapon out of it, didn't I? A blessing in disguise."
Kang Jae-min smiled and lightly patted Lee Yu-han's shoulder.
His expression showed that he truly wanted to encourage him.
"By the way, Mr. Lee Yu-han, you look much better now. You seem different after clearing BX-01."
"Ah, yes. To be honest, it's thanks to Hunter Hong Man-gi."
Lee Yu-han scratched the back of his head shyly.
Until only a few days ago, he had been crushed by the reality of being an F-rank Hunter and lived in fear.
But clearing a dungeon together with Hong Man-gi had brought a huge change to him.
Now, there was a confidence and determination in his eyes that had not been there before.
"I still can't stop thinking about how amazing both of you were. Especially Hunter Hong Man-gi, when you jumped right into Big Monkey's mouth and stabbed your dagger inside, I seriously thought my heart was going to stop."
Kang Jae-min let out a sound of admiration as he remembered that moment.
"I was lucky."
Hong Man-gi answered casually, but a faint smile rested on his lips.
For a while, the three talked about the fierce battle inside the BX-01 Dungeon.
Without even planning it, they praised each other's achievements and laughed while remembering the dangerous moments they had barely survived.
The hospital room filled with a warm sense of companionship that they had not felt in a long time.
Their bond had grown even stronger after going through life-and-death situations together inside the dungeon.
"Ah, but there's something else."
While the cheerful atmosphere continued, Kang Jae-min's expression suddenly became serious.
He hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
"Chef, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it? Don't make such a serious face. Just tell me."
Hong Man-gi spoke gently.
Kang Jae-min swallowed and lowered his voice.
"The Association's Inspection Department came to see me yesterday."
"The Inspection Department?"
Hong Man-gi slightly frowned.
Lee Yu-han's eyes also widened in surprise.
The Association's Inspection Department rarely visited an individual Hunter directly unless something serious was involved.
"Yes. A Team Leader named Cha Mu-jin came personally."
Kang Jae-min briefly closed his eyes, as if remembering his conversation with Team Leader Cha the previous day.
"It seemed like they already knew a lot."
"What do you mean they knew?"
Hong Man-gi asked calmly.
"Almost everything about you, Chef."
Kang Jae-min's voice trembled slightly.
"They knew that you rose from F-rank to D-rank in a short period of time, and that you've cleared several BX-rank dungeons one after another. It seems like the Association is suspicious of your growth rate and your use of unregistered skills."
Kang Jae-min explained his conversation with Team Leader Cha Mu-jin in as much detail as possible.
He told Hong Man-gi the reasons the Association was watching him.
He did not hide the fact that the Association did not simply see Hong Man-gi as an ordinary D-rank Hunter.
They viewed him as an 'unpredictable variable' that could potentially threaten the stability of the Hunter system itself.
"They were even considering the possibility that you might have a hidden class, or that you used some illegal method to strengthen yourself. They haven't taken any direct action yet, but I definitely got the feeling that they're watching you closely."
Kang Jae-min's voice was filled with deep concern.
It was obvious that he was worried about the danger Hong Man-gi might face.
Lee Yu-han looked at Hong Man-gi anxiously.
For someone who had only just begun to regain confidence as a Hunter, the idea of being watched by the Association brought a new kind of fear.
But Hong Man-gi's reaction was unexpectedly calm.
He stood with his arms crossed and quietly listened to everything Kang Jae-min had to say.
When the story was over, a faint smile even appeared on his lips.
"Interesting."
He muttered quietly.
His expression made it seem as though he had already expected something like this to happen.
"Chef, are you really okay? The Association's Inspection Department can become pretty ruthless depending on the situation."
Kang Jae-min asked worriedly.
Hong Man-gi shook his head.
"I'm fine. Don't worry too much."
Instead, he spoke gently as if trying to reassure both of them.
"It's only natural for the Association to be suspicious of me. Even from my own point of view, my situation is... well, not exactly normal."
He briefly looked out the window.
"But I have nothing to hide, and nothing to be afraid of."
Hong Man-gi turned his attention back to Kang Jae-min.
"Thanks for telling me. Don't worry too much. Nothing serious is going to happen."
"Whew... If you say so, that's a relief."
However, Lee Yu-han still anxiously bit his lip.
"But then, does that mean something might happen to you, Hunter Hong Man-gi?"
Kang Jae-min shook his head.
"It doesn't seem like they've taken any direct action yet. But like I said, they seem to view Chef as an 'unpredictable variable that could threaten the stability of the system.' They were especially suspicious about how quickly his abilities have grown and where his unregistered skills came from."
He sighed and continued.
"I strongly told them that Chef isn't dangerous, and that he's someone who helps his companions. But I don't think I managed to completely erase their suspicions."
Being monitored by the Association was never something a Hunter could simply ignore.
In the worst case, it could lead to the loss of Hunter qualifications, forced investigation, or even isolation.
Lee Yu-han looked at Hong Man-gi with worried eyes.
Hong Man-gi quietly began to speak.
"I know. The Association values systems and data. And I also know that, by their standards, I probably look strange. But not everything in the world can be explained by systems and data, can it?"
There was determination in his voice.
"As I've met different spirits and fulfilled their final wishes, I've changed a lot too. It wasn't just about becoming stronger. I also came to understand why I was given this power, and what I should do with it."
It was a determination to face whatever came next and prove himself directly.
Kang Jae-min and Lee Yu-han seemed to feel reassured by Hong Man-gi's calm yet strong attitude.
"Chef, you're really amazing."
Kang Jae-min said with genuine admiration.
"I believe in you too, Hunter Hong Man-gi!"
Lee Yu-han also clenched his fist and shouted.
Hong Man-gi gave the two of them a faint smile.
"Thanks. It's reassuring to have you two with me."
He turned back toward Kang Jae-min.
"Jae-min, for now, just focus on rehabilitation. Don't even think about coming back to the food cart until your arm is completely healed."
"But you'll be short-handed at the shop. More and more customers are coming, aren't they?"
At that moment, Lee Yu-han spoke as if he had made up his mind.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi!"
Lee Yu-han suddenly stepped in front of Hong Man-gi and bowed deeply.
"Please, let me help at the food cart!"
His voice trembled, but it was filled with desperation.
Hong Man-gi looked at Lee Yu-han in surprise.
"You?"
"Yes! Please!"
Lee Yu-han raised his head.
There were even faint tears gathering in his eyes.
"Mr. Kang Jae-min needs to rest for a while, and it'll definitely be difficult for you to handle everything alone. And to be honest, I'm still only an F-rank Hunter. I want to learn and experience more while staying beside you!"
He pleaded again with all his heart.
"If I'm beside you, if I'm at that food cart you talked about... No, even if it's on the side of the street, as long as I'm with you, I feel like I can do something meaningful. Just like in the BX-01 Dungeon, I want to become someone who can help others, even if it's only a little. Please give me one chance! Washing dishes, preparing ingredients, whatever it is, I'll do everything you tell me to! Please!"
His voice carried the small hope Hong Man-gi had given him and his desire to change.
Kang Jae-min chuckled, then sat up slightly in bed and added his support.
"Chef, why not let Mr. Yu-han do it? If he's taking my place, I'm sure he'll do well enough. It'll also let me focus on rehabilitation without worrying about the shop."
Hong Man-gi looked back and forth between the two.
Lee Yu-han's desperate gaze.
Kang Jae-min's reliable support.
And the practical difficulty of running the food cart alone.
Hong Man-gi seemed lost in thought for a moment, but he could not ignore the sincerity in Lee Yu-han's eyes or his potential for growth.
After thinking for a while, Hong Man-gi carefully spoke.
"...It'll be hard. Working at a food cart is tougher than it looks. There's a lot you'll have to learn too...."
"That's fine! It's still much better than almost dying in a dungeon! I'll work hard at anything!"
Lee Yu-han's answer was firm.
Hong Man-gi slowly nodded.
"All right. Then let's do that. Until Kang Jae-min comes back, I want you to learn as much as you can. You're my new partner now."
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Hunter Hong Man-gi!"
Overcome with emotion, Lee Yu-han bowed deeply once again.
The tears that had gathered around his eyes finally fell, this time from happiness.
Kang Jae-min also let out a relieved sigh and gave the two of them a thumbs-up.
"That's reassuring. I'm sure Mr. Lee Yu-han will do well. I'll recover quickly and join you again too!"
"All right, then we'll get going. Get plenty of rest, and if you need anything, contact me anytime."
Hong Man-gi said goodbye to Kang Jae-min and left the hospital room together with Lee Yu-han.
As the two walked down the hallway, the afternoon sunlight entering through the hospital room windows stretched long shadows behind them.
'The Association's shadow... pursuit... interference... Well, if it comes to that, then I guess it'll simply be another mountain I'll have to overcome.'
Hong Man-gi muttered inwardly and smiled.
