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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Dealing with the Young Thug
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"F Team specializes in scouting and butchering, so I don't really know them that well... I know about Hana because we dungeon-crawl together and chat sometimes, but it's tough to get personally close to every member of the other teams."
Just like Im Hyeji said, once I saw it for myself touring the dungeon, it made sense.
There was no time to chat with the hunters from the other teams, who all had their roles divvied up.
We were the ones lounging around in the center—me, the idle porter, and Im Hyeji, the SS-rank hunter—so we could afford to shoot the breeze. But the hunters holding formation had to stay vigilant against monsters that could pop up anywhere, while also backing up the ones out on hunts.
Hunting for three hours and resting for three wasn't as simple as it sounded.
Plus, the burly guy who'd blocked my path was a newbie, he'd said.
"It's been about a year, from what I know, but even when we enter dungeons together, we'd just exchange greetings once or twice during breaks. That's it."
"Hmm. But why's he acting like that? What's his ability?"
"I'm not really sure. I think he handles the butchering, but why? Is he bothering you, oppa?"
"It's not me he's bothering. Seems more like he's got his eye on you."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. Didn't you notice?"
"No, not really..."
"He's glancing over here right now."
If I hadn't noticed, that'd be one thing.
But once I did, I could feel those sneaky glances coming our way nonstop.
Im Hyeji, though, brushed it off like it was nothing.
"Guys stare at me like that all the time."
"..."
I'd forgotten for a moment.
About Im Hyeji's looks.
And all the male gazes she'd endured navigating this world.
My life and hers were worlds apart.
If someone stared at me, I'd wonder what they wanted, why that jerk was being weird, what I'd done wrong. For her, it was just everyday life.
Especially the lecherous looks from men— she'd been dealing with them her whole life, no matter how hard they tried to hide it, so she was used to it.
"Something's gonna blow up soon, I bet."
Call it my shut-in hikikomori instincts, but that burly guy was bound to cause trouble before long.
Normally, people know their place and don't cross lines.
That's why they say seven out of ten women...
Eight, nine, ten.
Perfect women don't even get hit on; no guys dare approach.
They know they're out of their league and would get shot down flat.
So instead, they rub up against that ambiguous seven—like horny dogs in heat.
But every now and then, you get guys with egos too bloated to know their place.
Not that I hadn't rubbed up against Im Hyeji myself.
But that was thanks to the pheromones giving me confidence.
Fortunately, though, there were no more warnings from him inside the dungeon.
The exploration continued.
This time, we hunted for six hours straight, and as night fell, we decided to rest.
We cleared the area to set up camp, then pulled out our tents one by one.
I took mine out of my magic backpack and pitched it, and just as Im Hyeji said, the four-person shelter unfurled into something like a little house.
"Whoa, this is slick."
It was just a compact shelter.
Step inside, and to the left was a tiny shower booth like in a capsule hotel, with a bathroom right in front.
Enough space to roll out a long mattress, too.
Cramped, but cozy.
There was even a window to see outside, which sealed up opaque when closed from inside.
The door locked, too. The world sure had come a long way.
Stuff I'd only seen on Hunter Gallery or NewTube, now right here in a dungeon.
"How much for something like this?"
"Mine's got full magic enchantments, so around 200 million won."
"...200 million?"
"...Yeah... It has high-capacity water storage magic, auto-waste disposal, insulation, soundproofing—the works."
"...You're loaded, huh."
Hunters made bank.
Even a single dungeon could net you tens of millions from magic stones and loot, hundreds of millions if you got lucky, even billions.
Kang Hana, a B-rank, lived without money worries—what must an S-rank be like?
I held back from asking her salary.
Last thing I wanted was to wreck our cum-for-mana dynamic.
"Oppa, you've got a small tent in your bag. You can sleep there."
Im Hyeji was an angel hunter who even packed a porter tent.
From what I'd heard, porters usually brought their own gear.
Top-tier regulars might carry enchanted one-person tents, but freelancers often just grabbed cheap ones off the shelf.
"Oh."
The one-person tent was pretty nice, too.
Big enough for two or three campers, pitched itself automatically, and had insulation magic inside.
"How much for this one?"
"Around ten million? Not sure. Got it on discount bundling with the other."
"Wanna just share mine?"
"...No."
"Yeah, figured."
My dick was itching.
Shower booth once, mattress once, rolling around in that tiny space—how sweet would that sleep be?
Soundproofed, too, so Im Hyeji's moans wouldn't leak out.
But eyes were everywhere.
Dozens coming and going—with me ducking into her tent and not coming out? Even without noise, it'd be like opening the window for public sex.
Worse, really.
Rumors spread wilder when people can't see.
They imagine and inflate from the shadows.
"Let's head in and eat first."
"...I'll leave the door open."
"Yeah. Gotta play it smart so no suspicions later."
"Okay..."
This was all just buildup until Mars.
No need to rush from the start.
Slowly. Gradually.
Close the distance bit by bit, naturally enough that no one suspects.
"Hyeji, wanna eat? Together?"
"Oh, go ahead. I'll eat what I packed with the porter oppa."
"Sure. Call Hana?"
"No, no. She'd get side-eye for leaving her team."
"Got it~ Enjoy."
Once camp was set and excluding night watch, hunters could relax a bit.
Small monster packs wouldn't hit a large, fire-lit human camp.
Naturally, folks started flocking to Im Hyeji.
She was popular with C Team, and even staff snuck over with snacks. Must be exhausting.
"Some for her SS-rank status, some 'cause she's hot, some just wanna bang her once. Bet it's a drag."
"...It's fine. Better than no one caring."
"Spoken like a true woman. Mild attention beats none?"
"Moderation's best. Push too hard, and bad rumors fly."
Im Hyeji wasn't just nice.
Socialized young, so she had sharp instincts.
I glanced outside, then groped her breast.
"Gasp!... Oppa!"
Startled, she clapped a hand over her mouth and shoved me away.
The tiny door had swung open, but luckily, no one around.
"No. If we're caught, it's bad."
"How bad? Just say it's tissue."
"...That's..."
Honestly, simplest play: pretend we're secretly dating.
Flirt sneaky-like under everyone's noses, like an office romance. They'd gripe about the PDA, but what could they do?
SS-rank wants it.
Smooth sailing to Mars, steady cum supply, no suspicions.
But she really hated that idea.
"..."
"Got it. Only when you ask."
I finished the warm lunch from the insulated pack—magic-heated—and stood.
"Oppa..."
I left her grabbing at me lightly and headed to my own tent.
"Perfect timing."
Normally, that push-pull wouldn't land.
What girl falls for WWE bait?
They'd call bullshit and move on to dinner.
But Im Hyeji and I were special.
On paper, I paid her monthly to meet, but really, she needed my cum desperately.
Using that leverage to control even her emotions—classic push-pull.
Sex for cum / emotional bonding. Strictly separate.
Shake it up to bridge them.
Hell if I knew if it'd work.
All I had were half-baked tricks from games, movies, novels, twisted my way.
If not, oh well.
Lying there, belly full, tent warm and comfy.
Drifting off when someone knocked on the flap.
Opened it, and suddenly a meaty hand grabbed my collar, yanking me out.
"...Huh?"
It was that burly young thug from before.
Face twisted in rage, he dragged me toward the main communal tent, not far off.
"Caught you red-handed, you bastard. Knew it from the first look."
He grinned to himself, fuming like a bulldozer en route.
Hunter stares poured in.
I yelled.
"Hey, what's your deal?!"
The brute didn't stop, of course.
Then Kang Hana blocked his path.
"What the hell? What do you think you're doing?"
Her furious glare flicked to me, then she shoved him—pure fierce warrior.
Hunters poured out of the main tent at the standoff.
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