I’ll Retire After Saving the World

Chapter 83: Ambush (4)

TL: SHW

“Really… I’m starting to confuse whether I’m a Hunter or an investigator from some detective agency.”

Lee Mi-seon sighed as she entered the conference room.

Since it was a building used as a villa by Daeyeon, it had all sorts of spaces inside.

“It’s because you’re so competent.”

“Isn’t it because it’s easy to make me work?”

“That’s another way of saying you’re capable.”

Hong Seok-young laughed heartily. However, his laugh had a tense undertone. His hand resting on the table creaked slightly. It was a sign that Hong Seok-young was boiling inside.

And no wonder. After all, a student had been attacked right under his nose. His pride must’ve been wounded. He was trying hard not to show it, but every now and then, a hint of killing intent would seep out.

I couldn’t help but be cautious around him. Kim Chae-min held his breath as well, and Lee Mi-seon glanced at Hong Seok-young before placing the file she brought on the table.

“But I found it.”

“…You found it?”

This time, I looked at her properly. There was even footage left on the CCTV.

As soon as Hong Seok-young arrived and ensured the children’s safety, Lee Mi-seon had left the scene. And now she was saying… what?

She found it?

In just about two hours? Is that even possible?

“Is that something you can find?”

“Somehow, yes. I didn’t have time to polish it nicely, though.”

I looked at Lee Mi-seon with a skeptical expression. Seemingly unaware of my doubt, she opened the file.

“He’s officially a registered Hunter.”

On the very first page of the file Lee Mi-seon brought, I saw the face I had just seen earlier. It was a certified photo from the Hunter license. He looked a bit younger than now. His face seemed chubby due to baby fat. His black hair was braided, tied with colorful decorative hair ties, and hanging long.

Hong Seok-young frowned.

“You said it was a guy? This looks like a girl.”

“It just looks like that, but it’s definitely a guy. At least, officially, he’s registered as male.”

Lee Mi-seon moved the photo aside. The next page was filled with text. As if to prove she really didn’t have time, the document was in English, not Korean. A faint watermark was printed in the background.

Isn’t this… the mark of the International Ability Association?

“His name is Alex Hope. He’s Australian, born to a Taiwanese Hunter mother and an Australian Hunter father. He’s mainly active in Australia and is an A-rank Hunter. He’s 22 years old.”

Wait a second. Let’s think about this. I know very well about Lee Mi-seon’s abilities. Even 20 years from now, she can handle everything flawlessly when tasked, and it’s not much different now. Whether it’s securing CCTV footage, solving Kang Tae-woo’s situation, or securing my identity.

Up to this point, I assumed Daeseon, or possibly Daeyeon behind the scenes, had helped.

But an international Hunter’s… biography?

One thing I learned from working at the Ability Management Agency is that, with enough money, you can accomplish more in Korea than you might think.

At the same time, you also learn that there are many things money alone can’t get you.

“They said on the day he attacked the orphanage, he had also raided a Dungeon.”

Not just his nationality, but even details about his Dungeon raiding activities were listed. It was true she hadn’t polished it. The document even included the exact date of his Awakening registration and when he obtained his Hunter license.

This isn’t something a Guild Master could just get with a few phone calls.

Or… could Lee Mi-seon have managed to obtain all this information in such a short time? If it were the Lee Mi-seon from 20 years in the future, maybe, but how old is she now? Thirty-one? Thirty-two?

Did I miss something about Lee Mi-seon? But Lee Mi-seon doesn’t have a censored profile like Oh Hyun-wook does.

“And… two days ago, he entered a Dungeon.”

“He entered the Dungeon and then came out here?”

“Of course, there are no records of him entering the country.”

Hong Seok-young stared intensely at the picture of Alex Hope, as if he could kill him with just his gaze.

The file Lee Mi-seon brought contained more photos of Alex Hope. There were also articles announcing Dungeon raids and posts that seemed to have been pulled from the internet.

The appearance, which had once had black hair like in the ID photo, had become more flamboyant over time. Sometimes his long hair was braided or tied up, dyed in striking colors, and then cut short—now a bob with red hair, the inside streaked with white.

This was the guy who had attacked Kang Tae-woo two hours ago.

As Hong Seok-young quietly gazed at the face, he muttered in a tone that sounded like he was cursing.

“Too young.”

“Right?”

“He’s 22? How many years ago do you think it was when I heard rumors and went looking for him? Let’s see….”

Hong Seok-young quickly skimmed through Alex Hope’s profile.

“It was before he’d even completed his first Dungeon raid.”

“There’s no age limit when it comes to committing crimes.”

“True, but if there are rumors that he’s the boss of Ark, then shouldn’t we factor that in?”

That made sense.

If Hong Seok-young had heard the rumors years ago, then Alex must have started his activities even earlier. Besides, Ark had been a highly active organization long before I was even born.

Hong Seok-young furrowed his brow.

“This Hunter… among the current criminals, who else has the ability to mimic other people’s appearances?”

“Uh… not many, I think? But those who can are all Mages, so they wouldn’t have fought like the way Teacher Woo did.”

“Hmm… Teacher Woo stopped him, didn’t he? Good job. Makes me feel like the salary was worth it.”

Even that tiny paycheck counts as a salary, I guess.

“Do we have footage of Teacher Woo fighting this Hunter?”

“What do you take me for? Of course, we do.”

“You do? I want to see it too!”

“Hold on a second… I figured you’d want to, so I brought it on my phone. There should be something here to connect to….”

Lee Mi-seon connected her phone to the projector and started the video. I subtly turned my gaze away. I had no desire to review footage with me in it. It wasn’t like I’d been caught on camera for a cinematic performance.

At least, since it was from CCTV, there was no sound. I couldn’t even remember half of what I’d said back then. Glancing at the screen, I saw that parts of my movements were cut off because of the angle.

“Hmm….”

Hong Seok-young replayed the footage several times.

Then, suddenly, he turned and asked me,

“Where was your sword, and why did you fight with Hunter Lee’s weapon?”

“I left it back at the dorm.”

“Your sword? Why?”

If he asks me like that, I can only feel wronged. I was just following the law.

Even if I didn’t care about obeying the law, there were plenty of citizens who would report a Hunter carrying a sword around without reason.

“It’s a fine to take out a weapon in a public place without reason.”

Unfortunately, it’s an amount my small and cute salary can’t handle.

Hong Seok-young still looked confused as he asked,

“Why do you think Hunters use subspace pockets?”

Well, that’s for storing weapons… but—

“I don’t have a subspace pocket.”

“You don’t?”

I feel like hitting him.

“Why would you assume I have one?”

“I thought you’d have brought everything neatly packed when you came out from Ark.”

“……”

Next to me, Lee Mi-seon chimed in, looking equally baffled.

“If Teacher Woo had a subspace pocket, wouldn’t we have found out when he was held in the interrogation room?”

I did have it, but… It’s a technology that doesn’t exist now. Without my mana pattern, it would just look like an ordinary wallet.

Only after hearing Lee Mi-seon’s words did Hong Seok-young laugh heartily.

“That could be true.”

I really want to punch him.

If it were the old man, he’d probably take the hit, but Hong Seok-young seems like the type who wouldn’t.

Hong Seok-young shrugged his shoulders.

“Find me this Hunter’s—Alex Hope’s—combat footage. I need to compare his movements.”

“I’m not sure if I can find it, but… I’ll give it a try.”

“Would meeting Alex Hope be too dangerous?”

“Most likely. Whether the attacker was really Alex Hope or not, the risk is too high either way.”

It still seems suspicious.

“Right… Keep tracking this guy. Dig up all his past activities, too.”

“Understood.”

Having Lee Mi-seon investigate an overseas Hunter? And she’s taking it in stride like it’s nothing?

I thought back to the things the old man had asked Lee Mi-seon to do before. Most of it had been related to the Hunter Academy. If not, it was work that couldn’t be handled through official channels, like investigating a politician’s corruption or manipulating the media…

Maybe Lee Mi-seon is a much bigger player than I initially thought. And she’s been displaying her skills twenty years ahead of schedule.

Even if I can’t always trust my Hunter instincts, if something this suspicious is happening, it’s hard to ignore.

There’s something going on. Something I don’t know.

I glanced at Lee Mi-seon. She quickly caught onto my gaze.

“Teacher Woo? Why? Did something come to mind?”

“No, it’s not that.”

I paused to consider my situation for a moment.

The three Hunters in front of me were all acting as if they had completely forgotten that I was a fugitive from Ark. Hong Seok-young had even trusted me with the kids’ safety. They had removed my mana restraints and returned my weapon.

Maybe it was to make me trust them or to show that they trusted me.

To understand, I had no choice but to ask.

“Hunter Lee. You’re not just an ordinary guild master, are you?”

What will her answer be?

Before Lee Mi-seon could open her mouth, in that brief instant, the Guild Master glanced at Korea’s strongest Hunter.

It took less than a second. Even in the time it takes to blink, Hunters can do a lot. Hong Seok-young gave a small nod.

Permission.

A small sign that Hong Seok-young trusted the man in front of him.

A tiny voice in my head whispered.

‘Does he really trust you? Someone like you?’

If it’s not trust, then what is it?

Bait? Just like what was done to a poor 17-year-old orphan who lost his sister?

‘That makes more sense, doesn’t it?’

Revealing information he kept hidden even from his adopted son to someone he’s only known for about three months. It can’t be explained otherwise.

Hong Seok-young’s gaze left Lee Mi-seon and turned toward me. The hand that had roughly tousled his hair. The compliments casually tossed my way, even for trivial things. His eyes, warm enough to make my whole body tingle.

All of that vanished like a mirage, leaving only a cold, emotionless face.

Suddenly, I became curious.

“Yes. I am the Head of the Special Operations Division for the Korea branch of the International Ability Association. Daeseon is just a front for regular activities in Korea.”

I wonder how much the old man hid from me.

Besides Lee Mi-seon’s true identity, was there more? The old man I knew wasn’t the type to use a 17-year-old kid as bait.

Did I really know everything about him?

“Does Teacher Kim know too…?”

“I’m just a collaborator.”

“…Does Daeyeon know? About Hunter Lee?”

“Daeyeon? If my father found out his money was being used to fund the International Ability Association’s activities, he’d probably faint.”

Lee Mi-seon giggled. The atmosphere lightened, and even Kim Chae-min and Hong Seok-young cracked small smiles.

I followed suit, smiling along with the three of them.

*****

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