Chapter 18
“Phew...”
As the warm morning sun began to shine, I stood by the roadside, a bit nervous about my first day of work.
I was waiting for Are, who had promised to personally pick me up at the agreed time. This was a stark contrast to the usual treatment from my previous hunter guild, where they'd simply give an address and expect me to find my way there on my own.
However, what really excited me was something else entirely.
‘A drive with a beautiful woman who looks just like my sister. This is quite the stroke of luck… or is it?’
Though I had only met her recently and our meeting was purely professional, I couldn’t help but feel a certain fondness for Are. Of course, this was primarily because she bore a striking resemblance to my sister, Su-Young.
‘How can I be swayed so easily just because someone looks like my sister? I must be a simple man.’
As I was lost in thought, a sleek sports car pulled up in front of me.
‘No way... It can't be…’
I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a Lamborghini Veneno, a car worth over 5 billion won. That was the equivalent of two apartments in Gangnam casually rolling down the street.
Previously, I had been proud of my 5-million-won monthly salary, but seeing this luxurious car made me realize just how out of my league it was.
As I stood there in awe, the car’s window slowly lowered, revealing...
To my surprise, it was Are, wearing sunglasses, looking exactly like my sister.
“Good morning, I’m here to pick you up.”
“Uh… Oh, yes. Thank you.”
Feeling cautious, I carefully opened the door with both hands and gently closed it behind me.
“I’m sorry I’m a bit late. There was some traffic on the way.”
“No, it’s fine. I just got here myself.”
Are’s polite demeanor made me feel more at ease, yet I was still taken aback by the fact that she came to pick me up in such an expensive car.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve ridden as a passenger... I’ve always been the one driving.’
Remembering how I used to chauffeur those irritating people around while listening to their nagging, I felt a strange sense of appreciation for Are taking the wheel.
“Let’s get going then. We have quite a distance to cover, so I’ll be driving a bit fast.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Are spoke with a careful and friendly tone. However, I couldn’t help but notice that despite her confident words, she seemed a bit tense.
Her hands were slightly trembling on the steering wheel, and she fumbled a bit with the gear shift. It was clear that the car was extremely expensive, but her driving skills were another matter.
‘Well, at least there’s not much traffic here. She’ll probably go around 40 or 50 km/h, and maybe 80 km/h on the highway.’
Securing my seatbelt, I prepared for a moderate drive. But then…
-BWAAAAM!!!-
“?!”
The car shot forward like a roller coaster, and I felt the blood rush to my head, my breath catching in my throat.
‘What the hell? Why is it so fast?’
Are accelerated rapidly, the speedometer quickly surpassing 90 km/h. I realized this ride was going to be very different from what I had initially anticipated.
Despite the national road being relatively empty, there were still other cars, traffic lights, and pedestrians. A small mistake could easily lead to an accident.
‘Is it really safe to drive like this on a national road? Even if there are no speed traps, this seems risky... Or maybe not?’
As time passed and we transitioned onto the highway without any incidents, my initial fears began to fade.
The car now exceeded 140 km/h, but Are deftly maneuvered around other vehicles, making it seem like a routine part of her day.
Her driving skills were clearly superior to mine, and I found myself staring at her in awe.
She seemed very comfortable with high-speed driving, and my initial anxiety turned out to be unnecessary.
I realized I might need to adjust my perception of Are.
‘She’s a lot bolder than I thought. Despite her resemblance to my sister, she has her own unique traits.’
Reflecting on the differences between Are, a black hunter with a combat-oriented career, and my sister, who ran a quiet café with her daughter, it was clear their paths had diverged greatly.
Given her current lifestyle and the expensive car, it was evident that Are had been adopted into a wealthy family after being separated from Su-Young.
Recognizing the significant differences in their upbringings, it made sense that there would be some notable differences between the two sisters.
After adjusting to the initial shock of Are’s driving, I cautiously asked her a question.
“By the way, I have a few questions, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course, ask away.”
Are responded with a hint of nervousness, though it didn’t seem to be related to her driving.
Not fully understanding the source of her tension, I decided to focus on the questions I had in mind.
“I’m sure I’ll meet them soon enough, but I’d like to know more about the other hunters I’ll be working with. Could you tell me a bit about them?”
“About your colleagues…”
The tension in Are’s face eased slightly, and she gave a small smile as she kept her eyes on the road.
“As I mentioned before, our group consists of about 30 members. Among them, three of us, including myself, are the main force. All of us were A-rank hunters in guilds before becoming Black Hunters.”
“A-rank, huh?”
Though a step below S-rank, A-rank hunters were still powerful compared to average hunters.
From my experience, A-rank hunters had limitations compared to S-rank hunters, who could single-handedly dominate the battlefield.
But considering the military’s regulations, it made sense. S-rank hunters couldn’t be discharged due to a law ensuring they remained in service, unless they resorted to loopholes or honorary positions.
This explained why someone like Na Ji-Seon, with her anger issues, remained in the military as an S-rank hunter.
Thus, despite being A-rank, Are and the other two were among the most skilled Black Hunters. As someone planning strategies, I needed to keep this in mind.
‘Managing this might be more challenging than before. But at least they’ll likely be more cooperative than those insufferable S-rank hunters…’
Just as I was about to ask more detailed questions about the other two, Are spoke up.
“We’re here. That building over there.”
“Oh, that’s it.”
Ahead was a large building on the outskirts of the city. Unlike a military base, it looked like a typical corporate office.
“This is Dreamouth, the Black Hunter Company. This is where you and I will be working together.”