Chapter 111

Return.

As soon as I heard that word, my eyes widened.

“Is it you, Baeksan from this world?”

“Yeah, I’ve also done a bit in this world, so there might be a slight difference in the return time, but I think it won’t be long. My return was scheduled for January next year.”

“Kang Ha-chan.”

At the unexpected news, I was about to ask more when I heard the team leader calling me.

“Ah, yes, Team Leader.”

As he gestured to me, I got up and approached him.

He then pointed to the monitor.

“Soon, Si-ho and Ji-eun will be adults, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Si-ho and Ji-eun will officially become adults in two months.

That means they will be officially registered as hunters and will start their full-fledged activities.

“I think it’s about time to fully form the team.”

“Ah, the hunter team is a three-person system.”

I nodded.

As the two are about to become adults, it’s time to start forming the team.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about it recently. Ji-eun is in charge of ability enhancement and maintenance, and Si-ho is a long-range hunter. So, I was wondering if there’s someone who can hold the front line.”

Hearing that, I could only smile bitterly in silence.

Si-ho is an S-class hunter.

Recently, Si-ho has been accelerating her combat training, and honestly, unless it’s an S-class dimensional being, she can overpower them with firepower alone.

‘Originally, S-class hunters don’t need a team.’

An S-class hunter refers to an individual who is already in a perfect state.

Just look at Seo-ho and Josia, who move individually without forming a team.

For now, Si-ho is registered as an A-class, but she will probably form her own team later.

“So, there’s someone I’ve been keeping an eye on. This person.”

On the monitor was a woman with long gray hair.

Among returners, there are many with unique hair colors for various reasons, but it’s rare among hunters, so I was a bit puzzled.

“Her ability is beast-type.”

“Ah, so that’s why her hair color is like that.”

Beast-type refers to those whose physical abilities are similar to animals.

A prominent feature is their excellent physical abilities.

“What about her age and rank?”

“She’s 21 this year. Her rank is B.”

Same as Ji-eun.

Even if Si-ho is an exception, balance-wise, it’s not bad.

“Sounds good. Let’s recruit her?”

“Well, there’s a problem with that.”

I tilted my head.

A problem? What could it be?

“A company called Beom has made a scouting offer to her. It’s a newly established hunter company with a decent scale. We also made an offer, but the response has been lukewarm.”

“Beom?”

Hearing that, I blinked.

Beom? Could it be the Beom I know?

“That’s right. Beom. Do you know him, Ha-chan?”

“…Yeah, sort of.”

Of course, I know.

The CEO there is someone I know too well.

“Would it be okay if I try to scout her?”

“Ah, would that be okay?”

“Yes, if she joins, she’ll be part of our team.”

“Well, I trust you, Ha-chan.”

Seeing him in high spirits, I also smiled and briefly learned the points to note and what’s needed for scouting from the team leader.

‘Yoo Woo-jung, huh.’

The B-class hunter scouting begins.

—

On the subway heading to Mapo-gu for the scouting, I scratched my head as I looked at the two people sitting next to me.

“Didn’t you two have training today?”

“Manager, if there’s none, we don’t do it.”

“We’re going to scout for our team, right? Of course, we should follow!”

With Si-ho on the left and Ji-eun on the right, I made an awkward expression.

Where did they hear that I was going for scouting?

As soon as I headed to take the subway, they followed and clung to me like this.

“…By the way, aren’t you two sitting too close? There are plenty of seats.”

“Hey, it’s the Seoul subway. People will keep coming in.”

“Si-ho likes sitting next to the manager.”

As Ji-eun hugged my arm and Si-ho leaned her head against me, their eyes met.

I noticed that these two were competing now.

With two good-looking people on either side, the gazes in the subway weren’t light, so I thought it couldn’t go on.

I pushed Si-ho’s shoulder aside and freed my arm from Ji-eun.

“Both of you, sit properly.”

“Eing.”

“No acting cute.”

Stopping Ji-eun’s whining, I sighed inwardly as they both sat properly.

Yeah, I brought this upon myself.

“So, Ha-chan oppa, who’s the person you’re scouting this time?”

When Ji-eun asked, I realized I hadn’t explained it to them yet.

Well, since they might be on the same team, it’s only right to explain.

“Her name is Yoo Woo-jung, a B-class hunter. She’s 21, so she’s your unnie.”

“21 years old.”

As Ji-eun hummed and snorted, Si-ho subtly leaned her hip against me again.

“Is she pretty?”

As I was about to say something, Si-ho took the lead and asked.

Pretty?

If a guy asked, I’d think they were just curious, but this question coming from a girl was problematic.

Sure enough, Si-ho was smiling, but her eyes weren’t.

This girl came with this in mind.

I raised my hand and pinched Si-ho’s cheeks.

“Uwuu.”

“What if she’s pretty? What are you going to do, Si-ho?”

“J-just asking.”

As I pinched her cheeks, Si-ho spoke as if pleading.

Her cheeks are incredibly soft.

Fascinated by the sensation, I pinched a few more times before letting go.

“Both of you can come along, but no interference. She might be on your team, so be polite. Got it?”

“Yesss.”

“Got it.”

Hearing Ji-eun and Si-ho’s answers, I could only sigh again.

I’m really worried.

—

After that, I safely arrived in Mapo-gu with the two.

Since I had already arranged a meeting place with Yoo Woo-jung, I checked the time and place and headed there.

“Manager, since Si-ho is here, can’t we just ask her to bring her?”

In the middle of that, I turned my head at Si-ho’s words.

Then, I placed my hand on Si-ho’s head and said.

“Si-ho, you also need days off. You’ve been helping a lot until now.”

“Si-ho doesn’t mind.”

“I mind.”

Si-ho seemed happy with my words and smiled brightly.

“What is it? You only pamper Si-ho, I want to be pampered too!”

Then, Ji-eun also popped out and hugged my arm.

Ayu and Seolhyang have their limits, but these two seem to have a very weak boundary.

Being with them, I feel like I’m being pushed around.

‘High school kids these days are scary.’

The younger they are, the more proactive they become.

On the other hand, I wondered what it would be like if Seolhyang and Ayu were like this, making my head hurt even more.

“Tsk tsk.”

Baeksan, who was comfortably watching from the sidelines, clicked his tongue, making me momentarily envious.

Meanwhile, I safely arrived at the café where we were supposed to meet.

As Si-ho and Ji-eun competed again, making noisy sounds from both sides, I saw a woman with gray hair in the distance.

With her gray hair braided back, she was leisurely sipping coffee from a teacup, holding a book.

She seemed to be reading.

‘That must be Yoo Woo-jung.’

Dressed in a dress, she gave off a very elegant first impression.

Having met the person to scout, I warned Si-ho and Ji-eun to stop fooling around and approached her.

As I did, she sensed my presence, looked up from her book, and turned towards me.

Her eyes, with a hint of blue, met mine, and she tilted her head slightly.

I immediately smiled and took out my business card.

“Nice to meet you. You’re Yoo Woo-jung, right? I’m Kang Ha-chan, the one who called earlier.”

“Ah, from Rodri Company. Oh, hello.”

She recognized me and took the business card.

As she did, her face was filled with a smile.

Then, as if something came to mind, she tilted her head slightly.

“But haven’t we met before?”

Haven’t we met before?

I also had to tilt my head at that.

I don’t remember.

“Have we met?”

“By any chance… did you graduate from S University?”

“Ahaha, I dropped out midway.”

It was a bit awkward to mention Gwak Sa-yeon, so I hesitated, and her eyes widened.

“Ah, I remember. I went to a hunter department briefing at S University when I was in middle school. You handed me a pamphlet, don’t you remember?”

“Ah, was that it?”

I definitely remember doing something like that back then.

It was an activity that gave points, so I helped out.

“You have a good memory.”

“You were handsome, so I remembered.”

“Ah, th-thank you?”

Flustered by the sudden compliment, I spoke, and she looked at the two behind me.

“Who are those cute people?”

“Ah, they’re our team members. They ended up coming along.”

“Unnie, I’m Yoon Ji-eun!”

“I’m Ha Si-ho.”

Ji-eun cheerfully shouted, but Si-ho seemed a bit shy, speaking with a slightly sharp attitude.

Seeing them, Yoo Woo-jung smiled and nodded, and I sat down in front of her.

“Hey, Kang Ha-chan.”

Then, a signal came from Baeksan.

With a feeling that the person I just met might be a returner or something, I looked, and Baeksan was tilting his head.

“This woman, she’s not B-class.”

My eyes blinked.

Not B-class?

What kind of nonsense is this?

“She’s hiding it. She’s S-class. That one.”

A slightly bad feeling started to creep in.

For some reason, I feel like this won’t go smoothly.

“Alters, those bastards are up to something, huh?”

And my thoughts and Baeksan’s thoughts matched exactly.

What Yoo Woo-jung in front of us is pointing to.

Alters have started to move.