Chapter : 28
“The One Who Jumps Above the One Who Runs”
At the Ulleungdo branch of the Management Bureau—
In a room filled with thick cigarette smoke, four or five men had their feet propped up on a casino table brought into the meeting room, enjoying a full gambling session.
The lower-ranking employees could only glance at them with displeasure.
But no one could say anything.
Although this clearly violated civil servant conduct regulations, they remained confident because their backing was stronger than anyone expected—even if someone reported them, nothing would come of it.
[Branch Chief: Cha Seok-hyun]
Behind the nameplate sat Cha Seok-hyun, the man overseeing and enjoying the entire situation.
There was nothing sloppy about his appearance or personality.
A man in his late 30s with a strong, charismatic presence.
His short black hair was neatly styled to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, with strands of silver mixed in—evidence of a hard-lived life.
About 185 cm tall, with a solid, muscular build, he looked like a warrior trained through years of combat.
Though only a B-rank Hunter, his influence in Ulleungdo was immense.
“Brother!”
The door suddenly burst open, and a man stormed in.
His name was Cha Do-hyun, Cha Seok-hyun’s younger brother by ten years, a C-rank Hunter in the Rescue Division.
“What’s going on?”
“Wasn’t I supposed to get the Rescue Division chief position? Why is someone from outside being brought in?”
“Oh, that.”
Cha Seok-hyun responded lazily despite his brother’s frustration.
“It’s Director Park Gwang-su’s order. That Overcross guy is trying hard to screw us over.”
“Who exactly is he?”
Cha Do-hyun tensed up.
In Ulleungdo, with only about 30 awakened individuals among 10,000 residents, Hunters were extremely scarce.
Because of that, guilds struggled to settle there, and the Management Bureau held overwhelming influence.
Cha Seok-hyun used this situation to trade mana stones obtained in Ulleungdo with Overcross, earning enormous profits and effectively living like a king.
The residents had plenty of complaints—but if he became negligent in gate control or monster prevention, the island could lose lives within a single day.
The Management Bureau in Seoul didn’t know the full situation but suspected something was wrong.
And now, the fact that someone disliked by Overcross was being sent here was unsettling.
Cha Seok-hyun reassured him simply.
“It’s just a D-rank nobody. You saw him recently, right? The guy who cursed at a PBC reporter.”
“Ohhh—him!”
It was a well-known incident.
“If he shows up, beat him, crush him—do whatever you want. Make sure he never gets back up again. You should just stay as the real power behind the Rescue Division, don’t you think?”
“Ahh… so I’m basically your enhancement material.”
“Exactly. Smart, my brother.”
The two laughed together.
Behind them, healer Yoon Seung-jae—who had been listening—clicked his tongue in disbelief.
‘…These insane bastards.’
And he quietly pitied the incoming Rescue Division chief.
That was what everyone thought.
Until just a few hours later.
Arrival at Ulleungdo
‘Is this really the Ulleungdo branch?’
Upon arriving, Seoyul stared ahead in disbelief.
The building itself was disappointing from the outside.
A rough structure of metal and concrete, looking like it had been built without any purpose or identity.
It looked more like something abandoned than a government institution.
The exterior walls were yellowed, peeling in places, and the windows were dull, as if untouched for years.
Inside was even worse.
Cigarette butts and empty cans were scattered across the hallway. Paint peeled from the walls, stained with age and neglect.
Yoon Seung-jae, waiting inside an office, looked at Seoyul with a reluctant expression.
“You must be Chief Seoyul. I’m Yoon Seung-jae, healer of the Rescue Division.”
There was no welcoming atmosphere.
Seoyul’s expression hardened.
“This place is a mess.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where are the rest of the Rescue Division members? There should be about fourteen of us total.”
“Seven are currently on missions. The rest are on standby.”
“Where?”
With no pride left, Yoon Seung-jae pointed to a door in the corner.
Creeeeak.
When the door opened—
“Hahahahaha!”
“Nice!”
“Yoho!”
Inside was a gambling den.
Stacks of documents were ignored as cards, dice, and alcohol bottles covered the desks.
A vein popped on Seoyul’s forehead.
“Seung-jae. Who’s that next to you?”
“That’s the new Rescue Division chief.”
One of them lifted a bottle of alcohol toward Seoyul’s face.
“Ahaha! The guy who got kicked out for running his mouth? Here for a welcome drink, Chief?”
The blatant mockery made Seoyul instantly decide how to deal with them.
BOOM!
It took less than a second.
A bottle shattered, and the man who mocked him was sent crashing down.
The sound was like an explosion.
Everyone turned in shock.
Mana surged from Seoyul like a volcanic eruption.
The Hunters trembled instinctively.
‘Damn it… he’s D-rank? That presence?’
It was obvious—if they relied on Cha Seok-hyun’s backing, they’d be the ones flying out next.
Because Seoyul had no intention of acknowledging Cha Seok-hyun at all.
Once he had their attention, Seoyul spoke coldly.
“From now on, this place will be cleaned until not a speck of dust remains. Everything unrelated to work goes into storage or the break room. Everyone reports back here at quitting time. No exceptions.”
“……”
Silence.
“Didn’t hear me?”
“Yes!”
Soon after—
The chaotic office was transformed into a spotless space.
Seoyul reviewed documents while they cleaned.
Then he sighed.
“What a mess.”
60% were working properly. The rest relied on Cha Seok-hyun’s backing and did whatever they wanted.
First priority: suppress them.
In rescue operations, clear division of roles was everything.
If even one person failed their duty, lives were lost.
This wasn’t about hierarchy—it was about respect and survival.
Bang!
Just then—
Cha Do-hyun stormed in.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Cha Do-hyun. I heard you beat up one of ours. What gives you the nerve?”
Seoyul was speechless.
The arrogance was unbelievable.
He stood up, meeting his gaze.
“So the hierarchy here is a joke. Want to fight without rank restrictions?”
“You think you can win? You’re just a D-rank.”
“If you lose, you resign. I won’t even pay your hospital bill. Think carefully.”
The Rescue Division froze.
Cha Do-hyun lunged first, aiming a punch at Seoyul’s face.
Seoyul countered.
CRACK—BOOM!
In an instant, Cha Do-hyun clutched his face, stunned.
Blood poured from his nose and broken teeth.
He collapsed to his knees.
Seoyul looked down coldly.
“This is the last time you use your fists. I won’t cut it off—but don’t mistake mercy. I just needed you broken.”
“You bastard!”
Cha Do-hyun attacked again.
Seoyul stepped aside—
CRACK!
An elbow strike shattered his arm.
“AAAAAAH!”
The entire room went pale.
Thirteen Rescue Division members watched in horror.
Seoyul stepped on Cha Do-hyun’s face casually and pointed at Yoon Seung-jae.
“Medic.”
“Yes!”
“Heal him. No traces left behind.”
As Yoon Seung-jae rushed to cast healing, one thought filled his mind:
‘…There’s an even crazier one here.’
Aftermath
Cha Do-hyun’s defeat left a brutal impression.
Even the arrogant Rescue Division members stood rigid, avoiding Seoyul’s gaze.
Seoyul then turned to a whiteboard.
He wrote the current performance metrics:
- Rescue success rate: 50%
- Survival rate: 61%
- Response time: 30+ minutes
- Public trust: 40%
- Monster elimination rate: 55%
The room grew tense.
“Do you know what this means, Cha Do-hyun?”
“It means our performance is trash…”
“And what’s the real issue?”
Seoyul’s eyes sharpened.
“People are dying while you’re gambling and drinking.”
Silence.
One member protested weakly.
“You’re ignoring our circumstances…”
Seoyul cut him off sharply.
“If you want to call it effort, it should at least protect lives. But all of you were drinking and gambling.”
“No excuses.”
“Go gamble and drink at home. And stop politics—save the people in front of you.”
At that moment—
Creeeak.
The door opened.
A man walked in.
Military-style gear. Black gloves. Cold expression.
Cha Seok-hyun.
He scanned Seoyul slowly.
“You must be the new Chief Seoyul. I’m Cha Seok-hyun, branch chief.”
He offered a hand—but his intent was clearly dismissive.
Seoyul didn’t take it.
Only nodded slightly.
Cha Seok-hyun’s smile stiffened.
“Looks like a new wind is blowing in Ulleungdo.”
Seoyul replied coldly.
“We’ll see what direction that wind blows.”
Their eyes locked.
Tension filled the room like a compressed blade.
The Rescue Division members swallowed nervously.
This was the first time anyone had ever spoken to Cha Seok-hyun like that.
And it was clear—
Ulleungdo had just changed.
