Chapter 2
Sweet Hometown(2)
“Leaving already?”
“Since it’s been a while since I came, I have a lot to check. I’ll come back later with A-hyun.”
Leaving behind his parents’ disappointed faces, Kang Hyeon headed to the guild office. While walking, several people greeted Shin Seong-ah, but no one recognized Kang Hyeon.
“Things change this much after just 3 years?”
“I think it’s because everyone’s focused on surviving these days. The loss of internet also played a part.”
Perhaps thinking Kang Hyeon was disheartened that people didn’t recognize him, Shin Seong-ah offered words of comfort. Kang Hyeon smirked and shook his head.
“I don’t mind. I just find it interesting.”
“Yes.”
That’s when Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-ah arrived at the guild house entrance.
“Vice Guild Master!”
A woman with a cute face, about 160cm tall with round features and shoulder-length bob hair that suited her well, ran towards Shin Seong-ah.
“Did you handle the rift well!?”
The woman asked Shin Seong-ah in an oddly energetic tone.
“Yes.”
“As expected…!”
The woman looked at Shin Seong-ah with sparkling eyes.
“Master! You’re amazing!”
At the sudden word ‘Master,’ Kang Hyeon burst into laughter.
“Pfft!”
Seeing this, Shin Seong-ah’s face turned red with embarrassment.
“T-this… well…”
“It’s fine. You must have been quite bored.”
“That’s not it…”
Shin Seong-ah was at a loss for words. Kang Hyeon nodded with an amused smile, as if he understood everything.
“Master! By the way, who is this person?”
The woman asked, looking at Kang Hyeon.
“He’s the Guild Master.”
“What?”
The woman’s eyes widened at Kang Hyeon’s words. Shin Seong-ah approached the woman and gently pushed her back.
“Hee-yeon, greet him. This is Mr. Kang Hyeon.”
Hee-yeon, as she was called, wore a confused expression.
“H-hello. I’m Baek Hee-yeon.”
Baek Hee-yeon bowed 90 degrees to Kang Hyeon.
“Hey. I’m Kang Hyeon.”
After greeting, Baek Hee-yeon carefully asked Shin Seong-ah.
“Um, Master… Isn’t Mr. Kang Hyeon the former Guild Master? I clearly remember he passed away.”
“He was, but he came back to life.”
“What…?”
Baek Hee-yeon narrowed her eyes and whispered in Shin Seong-ah’s ear.
“Master. Could he be a scammer?”
Even while speaking, Baek Hee-yeon didn’t lower her suspicious gaze toward Kang Hyeon.
‘I can hear everything, you fool.’
She probably thought she was whispering, but with Kang Hyeon’s sharp hearing, it was as clear as if she was speaking right next to him.
“Well, um…”
Shin Seong-ah was struggling to explain. Seeing this, Baek Hee-yeon nodded as if convinced.
“Master. You shouldn’t keep getting deceived like this. I told you not to trust just anyone.”
It seemed Shin Seong-ah was still getting deceived like a pushover. Otherwise, there’s no way a newcomer to the guild would speak like this.
“Hey, you. Hee-yeon, was it?”
When Kang Hyeon looked at her and asked, Baek Hee-yeon narrowed her eyes even more.
“That won’t work on me! You might be able to deceive Master with such tricks, but don’t think you can fool others!”
“Really?”
Kang Hyeon smirked and walked into the guild building.
“Hey? You can’t just go in there.”
Though Baek Hee-yeon tried to stop him, Kang Hyeon was unstoppable.
“Hey! Is nobody here?”
As soon as he entered the corridor, Kang Hyeon shouted loudly.
All eyes in the hall turned to him.
Some looked at him like he was crazy. Others kept rubbing their eyes in disbelief. And Han Si-hwan, the Acting Guild Master who was talking with someone there, opened his eyes so wide they looked like they might pop out.
“Guild Master!?”
Han Si-hwan, who recognized Kang Hyeon immediately, came running.
“Is it really you, Guild Master?”
“Yeah. Team Leader Han Si-hwan, right? Or should I call you Guild Master now?”
“No! I just temporarily held that position.”
Han Si-hwan was full of energy like a new recruit.
“You’ve worked hard. I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”
“What are you saying? I’m just so glad you’re back now. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Han Si-hwan ‘s eyes were unusually red and bloodshot. A Guardian Guild elite who always lived with a sense of mission and justice in his heart, Han Si-hwan learned a lot after meeting Kang Hyeon and relied on him greatly.
3 years ago. On that day of the final battle, Han Si-hwan was there too. He watched Kang Hyeon die in a massive explosion and wailed, never imagining they would meet again like this.
“It’s awkward to ask this right after meeting again after so long, but can I ask something?”
“Yes? Feel free to ask.”
Han Si-hwan responded with an unbothered expression to Kang Hyeon’s sudden question.
“Does the guild take just anyone these days?”
“Pardon…?”
Kang Hyeon turned around and pointed at the stammering Baek Hee-yeon.
She seemed to be showing signs of mental confusion, as if unable to believe the current situation.
“Just wondering. There seem to be a lot of kids who can’t even recognize the Guild Master and act up.”
It was the moment when the real Guild Master appeared, armed with an old-school mindset.
***
Ippotranslation
***
“Wh-what, Guild Master!?”
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
The guild members who saw Kang Hyeon were all shocked as if they were about to faint.
“The Guild Master has returned!”
“What are you talking about!?”
“Kang Hyeon is back! It’s Kang Hyeon!”
“That crazy bastard is here!?”
There were curse words mixed in between, but Kang Hyeon didn’t miss a single word of who said what.
‘I’ll deal with you later.’
Like that, a storm blew through the guild.
Kang Hyeon lost track of time greeting each person who remembered him.
“By the way, I don’t see some people?”
At Kang Hyeon’s question, Shin Seong-ah showed a gloomy expression.
“Compared to back then, the size has grown bigger, but many of the founding members have decreased.”
“I see.”
He could guess the reason without having to hear it.
Because three turbulent years had passed.
Some had left the guild, and others had died in accidents.
“Among the current guild members, less than one-tenth would have been in the guild with you, Kang Hyeon.”
“Looks like many have gone…”
Although Kang Hyeon had just greeted over a hundred people, he felt depressed at the fact that many people he knew had disappeared.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you don’t need to be sorry.”
As Kang Hyeon was looking around the guild interior, he suddenly stopped walking.
“By the way.”
“What is it?”
“Where’s Han Jae-moon?”
Han Jae-moon, who served as the guild’s secretary, who always worked hard in the corner, wasn’t visible.
“Don’t tell me he died…?”
At Kang Hyeon’s words, Shin Seong-ah showed a surprised expression.
Seeing Shin Seong-ah’s reaction, it seemed Jae-moon had indeed died.
‘Sigh… I’m sorry.’
There were so many things to be sorry about to Jae-moon.
‘I only gave him work and couldn’t take care of him.’
Still, now that he had returned, he wanted to take care of him, but that opportunity was taken away.
“Jae-moon. Rest in peace, even in death.”
Hearing Kang Hyeon’s words, Shin Seong-ah became even more flustered and waved her hands.
“Kang Hyeon. Secretary Han Jae-moon is not dead.”
“That’s good. Where is he? Is Jae-moon also resting in that lodging where my parents were?”
“About that…”
As Shin Seong-ah’s explanation continued, Kang Hyeon’s face began to distort.
***
Ippotranslation
***
Han Jae-moon.
One of the founding members who joined the Badass Guild after Shin Seong-ah and Ahn Yu-seong.
Currently serves as the office manager of the Badass Guild.
Han Jae-moon has been with the Badass Guild since its early days and has essentially operated the guild alone.
In return, he received the highest salary in the guild, worth hundreds of millions of won.
However, Han Jae-moon was too busy to spend money.
“I’ll save up a lot and splurge later.”
Han Jae-moon had affection for the guild.
And he was a man who knew how to wait.
For now, he devotes himself to the guild with love and passion.
He planned to retire in roughly 10 years with the massive amount of money he saved and enjoy a life of leisure.
“Th-this can’t be…”
That complacent thinking crumbled miserably before long.
As the world ended and South Korea collapsed, his savings turned into scraps overnight.
No, they became worth even less than scraps.
At least toilet paper can be used in the bathroom.
Using money in the bathroom would hurt.
“Kheuk… kheu… khahaha!”
After that, Han Jae-moon gradually started going insane.
At first, it seemed like he kept working, but at some point, he began withdrawing from guild duties one by one.
It wasn’t really a problem since the world had ended and most administrative work in the guild had disappeared anyway.
“This is great! Wonderful!”
After stepping back from work, what Han Jae-moon newly discovered was entertainment.
The entertainment district within Badass Guild’s protected area.
Taking along many guild security members, Han Jae-moon partied hard every day.
No one dared to challenge a top executive of the Badass Guild that controlled the area.
There was some opposition within the guild at first, but even that completely disappeared when Vice Guild Leaders Shin Shin Seong-ah and Ahn Yu-seong approved.
“Let’s let Brother Jae-moon rest since he worked hard.”
“Mr. Han Jae-moon has earned that right. I’m sure he’ll return to normal, so let’s wait and see a bit longer.”
More than a year passed while Han Jae-moon was lost in entertainment.
“Hahaha! Hey, come over here and sit down.”
“Aww, Manager, you’re so bad”
Today too, Han Jae-moon was at his regular bar drinking heavily.
He had five guild members assigned as his security detail, all elites who had been there since Kang Hyeon’s time.
“Manager! Let’s have another drink!”
But after spending a year with Han Jae-moon, they too were now completely lost in entertainment.
Han Jae-moon snatched the bottle offered by the guild member.
“Whew! The drinks are killer today!”
Though he drank every day, for some reason it tasted even sweeter today.
“Manager, you’re spilling it, Let me wipe that for you.”
The woman sitting on Han Jae-moon’s lap stroked his chest with a handkerchief.
“Yes, yes. Oh my! Our pretty one is so kind too.”
The woman wearing a red dress that used so little fabric it was hard to tell if it was clothes or underwear gave an alluring smile.
“Manager, I was thinking of opening a shop, what do you think?”
“If our pretty one wants to do it, you should! I’ll put in a word with the guild so they’ll take care of it!”
“Wow! Really!?”
“Of course. Don’t you know who I am? I’m the Badass Guild manager!”
“Wow! Manager, you’re the best! I love it”
The woman on his lap squealed and threw herself into Han Jae-moon’s arms.
“Manager, can I open a shop too?”
At that moment, Han Jae-moon frowned at the male voice coming from beside him.
“Tsk! You guys can just keep partying with me, why do you want a shop?”
“Aww, Please let me open a shop too, Manager.”
Veins popped on Han Jae-moon’s forehead.
“Which rotten bastard is asking that question?”
Han Jae-moon whipped his head around.
“It’s me, you son of a bitch.”
In that moment, Han Jae-moon froze as if he’d seen a ghost.
When he carefully rolled his eyes, he saw all the security guards were already on their knees with their heads to the ground.
“Hic!”
Perhaps from the shock.
A hiccup escaped.
“This bastard! I was going to look after you but you’ve been taking good care of yourself, huh!?”
“Who are you? This person is the Badass Guild manager! You really want to get in big trouble!?”
The pretty one who hadn’t grasped the situation shouted viciously at Kang Hyeon.
‘Please, please shut up! Shut up!’
Han Jae-moon really wanted to shout but no words would come out of his throat.
“Uh, uhhh…”
“Jae-moon.”
“Yes…”
Han Jae-moon, who had barely come to his senses, carefully answered.
“Put your head down.”
“Yes!”
Han Jae-moon quickly slammed his head to the ground with a thud.
“Manager…?”
The woman watched with rabbit eyes, not knowing what to do.
“You too.”
“What…?”
“Ground.”
Kang Hyeon pointed to the floor.
“I said put your head down.”
That day, news of Kang Hyeon’s spectacular return ceremony spread throughout the city in an instant.
