Chapter 39
Kim Soo-ae was taken aback by Suho’s words.
—T-Today?
“Yes, like they say, strike while the iron is hot. I plan to challenge it today.”
Kim Soo-ae was so shocked that she couldn’t say anything for a moment. After all, sealed Gates were no joke. Was he really serious?
But Suho was completely serious.
“I’ll give you more details once things are finalized. For now, I need to call reporter Jo Jin-hwi, so I’ll leave it here.”
Ending the call, Suho immediately dialed Jo Jin-hwi.
—Ah, yes~ Pro Suho!
A laid-back, familiar voice answered on the other end, full of confidence.
Suho chuckled and asked,
“Why are you calling me ‘Pro’ all of a sudden?”
—Isn’t it more fitting than calling you ‘Hunter’? Feels more friendly. So, what’s the matter?
“I heard you published the Nexus entry article?”
—Yes, I did. But aren’t you a bit late to react? It’s been out for a while now.
“I wasn’t able to check my phone for a bit because of personal matters. I just heard from Director Kim Soo-ae and called you right away.”
—Got it. Well, as expected, the response has been huge. I’d actually recommend you avoid checking your phone for a few days.
“Because of the flaming?”
—Exactly. You said your dream was to become a government hunter, but then you joined a private guild, so there’s been some backlash. But it’s not too bad, just about 40% negativity?
Forty percent. That was less than Suho had anticipated. He had expected about 70% backlash.
“That’s less than I thought.”
—Yeah, but I don’t think it’ll last long. If you look at the comments, most people acknowledge your abilities. People are saying that, given your talent, the Korean Hunter Association wasn’t such a great fit for you anyway, and that if your goal is to end the Gate crisis, you can still achieve that in a private guild.
“I’m grateful that people see it that way. But this is the perfect time to solidify public opinion in my favor, don’t you think?”
—True, true. So, do you have something planned…?
“Yes, prepare the follow-up article. The headline should be: ‘Second Sealed Gate Challenge’.”
—Whoa…!
Jo Jin-hwi clenched his fist in excitement.
—As expected, you never disappoint, Pro Suho! You’re amazing. I respect you so much!
“Haha, thanks. To keep the momentum going, it’s best to release the follow-up article soon. And now that I’ve joined Nexus, we should give their reputation a boost as well, right?”
—A hundred times yes! So, which Gate are you planning to challenge this time?
“I’m planning to challenge the Swamp of Despair.”
—The Swamp of Despair? You mean the one I’m thinking of?
“Yes, that’s the one.”
The Swamp of Despair.
It was one of the government-managed sealed Gates, and naturally, like all sealed Gates, it was rated S-class in difficulty.
The death toll there had reached hundreds, and its difficulty was even higher than the Nameless Sword Gate.
The reason was simple:
‘While the Nameless Sword allowed for mid-challenge retreats, no one has ever returned alive from the Swamp of Despair.’
In the future, the Swamp of Despair would be conquered about ten years from now.
Suho knew who would clear it and how they would do it, which was why he chose this Gate.
At the current moment, in the entire world, only he knew how to conquer the Swamp of Despair.
Suho continued,
“Anyway, please publish the follow-up with that title. I’ll give you more details later. For now, please coordinate with the Nexus PR team. I haven’t informed them yet that I spoke to you first.”
—Ah, of course. No problem at all. Should I come with you again this time? Just let me know when you’re ready!
“Yes, I’ll call you when it’s time.”
After finishing the call, Suho immediately contacted Jung Cheol-min.
“Team Leader, do you have a moment?”
***
Obtaining the entry permit for the second sealed Gate, the Swamp of Despair, didn’t take much effort.
“Wait, Hunter Ahn Suho? Of course, we’ll issue it right away!”
“Does Team Leader Jung have no sense of urgency? If it’s Hunter Ahn asking, shouldn’t you handle it immediately without needing approval?”
“If he requests it again, make sure it’s top priority next time!”
Jung Cheol-min had expected some pushback when he sought approval, but instead, he received a scolding for even bothering to ask. He felt wronged, as he was just following protocol.
With a sigh, Jung Cheol-min said in a deflated voice,
“…With how things are going, if you succeed in conquering this Gate as well, you should have no trouble getting access to any sealed Gate in the future.”
“Haha, it’s all thanks to you, Team Leader.”
They were now at Yeongjong-do, Incheon, where the Swamp of Despair was located.
Suho once again traveled in Jo Jin-hwi’s car, and when they arrived, they met Jung Cheol-min, the person in charge of the sealed Gate, and the Nexus PR team who had already arrived.
The follow-up article had already been released. Its title read: ‘Nexus Guild’s Ahn Suho: Challenging a Second Sealed Gate Without Rest!’
People were ecstatic upon hearing the news… no, more than ecstatic—they were practically flipping out or doing somersaults.
—not content with clearing one sealed Gate alone, he’s challenging another one?
—heyyy, call out all the guys who cursed him for joining nexus for the money! who tf cares if it was for money or not? who else is clearing sealed gates in korea?!
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—I never cursed him. I believed in him from the start.
—Damn it, Sword God! You’re something else…
—from now on, i am one with the Sword God. if anyone insults him, they’re insulting me.
—Ahn Suho, is he a god? Ahn Suho, is he a god? Ahn Suho, is he a god? Ahn Suho, is he a god?
—Mom! I want to be Ahn Suho when I grow up! Mom! I want to be Ahn Suho when I grow up!
—ahn suho is relentless… and, of course, amazing!
—suho, if you ever sell health supplements, ima buy them all!
The overwhelming cheers were flooding in.
Right. What was the big deal about changing his mind a little?
This reaction was especially pronounced when it came to hunters.
While people held celebrities to strict standards, they were far more lenient with hunters.
And for one simple reason: hunters risked their lives to fight for humanity, no matter what their personal motives were.
Watching the Nexus PR team in action, Jung Cheol-min turned to Suho and said,
“Seeing all this, it really sinks in that you’ve joined Nexus.”
“Haha, I guess so.”
Then, lowering his voice and glancing around, Jung Cheol-min asked cautiously,
“S-So, about Nexus… did you manage to negotiate the terms you mentioned to the Association Chairman?”
Jung Cheol-min’s tone was anxious. He’s been trying to confirm something.
The articles that were released hadn’t mentioned anything about Suho challenging the public recruitment exam at the end of the year, nor any details about contract negotiations.
At least, Jung Cheol-min wanted to be reassured.
Suho smiled and replied,
“Yes, while we didn’t publicly disclose the exact contract terms, I can tell you that almost all the conditions we discussed with the Association Chairman are included.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, I’ll definitely be applying for the fifth-grade public recruitment at the end of the year. Oh, by the way, this is a secret, okay? I’m only telling you, Team Leader. So, if this gets out…”
“Oh, of course! My lips are sealed! Look, I’ve already zipped them up.”
Jung Cheol-min quickly mimed zipping his mouth shut, using his fingers to show that he wasn’t joking.
It was an adorable gesture. Suho had only made a casual comment, but it was endearing.
“Of course, I always trust you, Team Leader. Now, shall we get started?”
There was no reason to delay. Suho stood before the Gate’s entrance, ready to challenge it.
As the Gate opened, Suho entered, while Jo Jin-hwi and the PR team snapped photos before the door closed again. Only then did they lower their cameras.
The PR team leader, standing next to Jo Jin-hwi, asked nervously,
“Do you think he’ll clear it this time, too?”
“Of course. I trust him. After all, it’s Ahn Suho we’re talking about.”
“I know how amazing Hunter Ahn Suho is, but… every time something like this happens, I still can’t believe it, and it makes me so anxious.”
Jo Jin-hwi thought for a moment, then slowly raised the corners of his lips.
“How about a little bet to ease your nerves?”
“A bet?”
“Yeah. Let’s bet on whether Hunter Ahn Suho will succeed or not. I’ll put 1 million won on him succeeding.”
The PR team leader was momentarily taken aback by Jo Jin-hwi’s bold bet, but then, in a sly tone, he replied,
“Hmm… Well, I can’t say no to a bet. Just so you know, I don’t actually believe he’ll fail, but for the sake of the bet, I’ll put my 1 million won on failure.”
“Alright, fair enough. Let’s head to the control room while we wait. We can’t just stand here watching.”
“Agreed.”
As the two of them headed for the control room, something unusual happened.
“…Huh?”
Jung Cheol-min, who had been watching the surveillance monitor, narrowed his eyes.
Suddenly, he jumped up from his seat, leaning in close to the screen, and muttered in disbelief,
“The Gate line… it’s gone?”
“…What?”
“What do you mean by that?”
The PR team leader and Jo Jin-hwi pushed Jung Cheol-min aside to get a closer look at the screen.
But it was true.
The Gate line, the telltale sign that the Gate had been conquered, was disappearing.
Moments later, the Gate portal vanished entirely.
Whoosh!
A bright light filled the screen. A new exit portal opened where the Gate portal had been, and from within it, Suho emerged.
It wasn’t a mistake. The screen wasn’t malfunctioning. And it certainly wasn’t a composite. There, on the live feed, was none other than Ahn Suho, stepping out of the Gate.
“M-M-Madness!”
“How long has it been? Ten minutes? Twenty minutes?”
“Ten minutes? It’s barely been five!”
“And he cleared it?!”
On the screen, Suho casually waved toward the camera.
The person in charge of the Square immediately opened the Gate entrance, and everyone in the control room rushed to the Gate to greet Suho.
And there he was, looking as relaxed as if he had just gone for a stroll, having successfully conquered the Gate.
