Lanzhou Airport.
Just before boarding the plane to Korea, I said goodbye to the Hegemon Blade Sect family.
"Don't forget what I said before," Ryu Jayoung said. What she meant was her promise to come to Korea once she became an A-Class Hunter. Personally, I wouldn't mind if she came sooner, but seeing the determination in her eyes, I doubted my words would sway her.
"Alright. Come visit Korea sometime," I said casually. Ryu Jayoung's cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded quietly.
"You rascal! Are you hitting on my daughter?!" Ryu Gicheon, Ryu Jayoung's father and China's S-Class Hunter, roared. His eldest daughter, Ryu Cheongseol, grabbed his shoulder to restrain him.
Ryu Gicheon hated me, claiming I had the face of a womanizer not just any womanizer, but one capable of shaking the world.
I maintained a neutral expression, but inwardly I scoffed at him. I didn't believe in fortune-telling nonsense. And how could a womanizer possibly shake the world?
Ryu Gicheon. That old man just doesn't like me.
I didn't particularly dislike Ryu Gicheon. After all, he was the one who brought Ryu Jayoung and Ryu Cheongseol into this world, even though his wife had passed away several years ago.
I have to acknowledge his contribution. Didn't he say his second daughter works at the Chinese Association? Ryu Hongye... she was quite pretty in the photos. I'll get my chance with her eventually.
While preparing for departure, I found myself alone with Ryu Cheongseol for a brief moment. Our eyes met. When I grinned, her face froze like stone.
I pulled out my smartphone and played a private video we'd recorded together that morning. She glanced around in shock, then reached for my phone, worried someone might see it. Anticipating this, I tilted it out of easy reach.
"...!!"
The video showed Ryu Cheongseol, her face flushed with lust, her eyes glazed with ecstasy, licking my asshole. Not only that, she was pressing her lips against it, sucking greedily.
"What are you doing?! What if someone sees?! Delete that video immediately!"
"Hahaha. No one's around, so it's fine. Just act a little more natural. People are staring at us suspiciously from a distance."
"...What do you want?" Ryu Cheongseol glared at me, her voice seething with resentment. But I knew she wasn't as angry as she seemed. If she were truly furious, she would have unleashed her killing intent and tried to snatch my smartphone with all her might. And she would have succeeded she's an A-Class Hunter, far stronger than me.
"Miss Ryu Cheongseol, you know perfectly well. Oh, if you've forgotten, let me remind you: Come to Seoul, Korea, in two weeks. You can conceal your identity if you wish. I want to see you again, but the choice is yours."
"...Alright. But you must promise to delete the video."
"I'll delete it before we part today, after you've seen me erase it. But before that... I want your services now, only if you're willing."
"Services?"
"Use those breasts to pleasure my cock. If you don't want to, say so, and I'll let it go."
"...Follow me."
Ryu Cheongseol sighed and led me to a secluded spot.
Sitting in first class on the plane, I stared blankly out the window. It would take roughly seven hours to reach home.
As the land of China receded into the distance, memories of my time there flashed through my mind.
There were crises, but I'm returning alive. Half of the Korean Hunters died, but I don't feel particularly sad. I wasn't close to them, and we never had any serious conversations. I remember their names and faces, but I'll likely forget them over time.
They say that in the Hunter World, killing monsters makes you numb to life. Since none of the dead were close to me, why would I feel grief?
The villagers come to mind. They called me Lord Seongdae and testified to my achievements at the China Hunter Association. I had plenty of sex with the beauties among them, but I made sure they kept quiet. The beauties had received considerable money and gifts from me, so they wouldn't dare speak up unless they were insane.
"Yujin."
Han Harin, sitting beside me, called out.
"Yes, Senior?" I replied, instinctively reaching out toward her ample chest.
Slap!
Her wrist was caught.
"Tell me properly. Who was that woman, and where did she go?"
"That woman?"
"The maid."
"Ah."
"A maid who just happened to show up in the village and join us? No one's stupid enough to believe that."
She was right. Back then, we desperately needed manpower and strong fighters, so the villagers and Hunters welcomed Yuria. Yuria followed me around almost constantly, attending to my every need. To anyone watching, she was clearly my personal maid. The villagers and Hunters sensed something was off but kept silent they were the ones who needed her.
"Curious about Yuria? Or perhaps... jealous?"
"Don't talk nonsense. That woman is no ordinary person. She feels like she's on a completely different level than you and me. Stop joking around and tell me properly. Who is she?"
"Yuria Grace. She's a maid, a genius from some fantasy novel world. She possesses world-class talent. I've been taming Yuria since she was young, so she's absolutely obsessed with my cock."
I told her the truth.
But Han Harin frowned deeply, clearly displeased.
"Sung Yujin, I told you to stop joking around... Mmm..."
I kissed her to cut off her words. She pushed me away once, then, after glancing around the cabin, leaned in and kissed me back.
"We're on a plane... Mmm..."
I continued kissing her, fondling her breasts. My tongue was Han Harin's erogenous zone. Eventually, she relaxed completely and returned the kiss on her own.
"Haaah..."
When she parted her legs for me, my hand slipped beneath her tight skirt.
Yuria tore open a Space Displacement Scroll and immediately teleported to Sung Yujin's house in Korea.
Without a valid ID from this world, she couldn't board a plane. The China Hunter Association was too busy to verify her identity, but airport security was a different matter.
Of course, Sung Yujin intended to create a legitimate identity for Yuria. He had plenty of money and was a skilled Mana user. Any Hunter ranked C-Rank or higher could easily naturalize in any country.
"..."
Yuria crossed her arms and slowly surveyed the living room.
She knew Yujin well. He never bothered with tidying up or cleaning, not even in the Plum Blossom Sword Saint world mansion. All he ever did was have sex. Wake up around noon? Sex. Eat? Sex. Sleep? Sex.
When Yuria heard it was Yujin's place, she imagined it would be filthy and overflowing with clutter. But when she actually surveyed the living room, it was surprisingly clean, save for the dust.
This was hardly surprising, given that the apartment contained little beyond the sofa, TV, and a few tables.
It wasn't unusual. Even in the Plum Blossom Sword Saint world mansion, Yujin had shown little interest in decorating.
Yuria moved toward the kitchen. Instant food lay scattered across the dining table, and several water glasses lay scattered in the sink.
A putrid stench wafted from the trash can.
She flung open the refrigerator.
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. Inside, dozens of water bottles and a few leftover pizza slices were crammed together. Mold had inevitably bloomed across the food.
Yuria immediately understood how Yujin had been living. He likely ate out or ordered takeout most of the time, or perhaps relied on meals at his girlfriend's place.
She checked the other rooms.
The bedroom. A musty odor hit her as soon as she entered. A blanket lay crumpled on the floor, and the bed was disheveled. Beside it, clothes of indeterminate freshness lay strewn about, with women's bras and panties visible among the garments.
The computer room. Near the computer, rotting instant food and takeout containers reeked of decay.
Armory: This room housed weapons like swords, guns, and armor, as well as a large supply of potions. Surprisingly, it was well-organized.
Bedroom 2: Chaotic. A dusty waterbed lay amidst scattered adult toys, revealing a collection of provocative lingerie, ropes, and cosplay outfits.
Bathroom and Toilet: Clean, save for a bit of mold in the corner and some dust.
After inspecting the entire house, Yuria nodded. She could finish cleaning in an hour, but since Yujin wouldn't return for at least seven hours, she planned to take her time and do a thorough job.
Upon landing at Incheon Airport, I was greeted by staff from the Korean Hunter Association and reporters, as a brief interview had been arranged. Among them were reporters and cameramen from broadcasting stations.
Ah, I really want to get back home to Yuria as soon as possible.
Contrary to my wishes, the interview dragged on.
"Mr. Sung Yujin, we've heard that you acted as a leader, guiding both the villagers and Hunters when you were isolated in China's Wuchuk Village. Could you tell us more about that?"
Han Harin glanced at me, applying subtle pressure. It was a clear signal to deliver the prepared response. This wasn't my first interview; I'd given one back in Lanzhou City as well.
"While I did serve as a leader, we wouldn't have survived without the active cooperation of all the Hunters who assisted me. I feel immense gratitude and sorrow for the Hunters who fell fighting the monsters. I'll never forget the people of Wuchuk Village either."
"There are rumors that you and Han Harin have become romantically involved through this incident..."
"We are senior and junior classmates from the same university, and we are friends."
"We heard you dealt with the newly emerged mutant monster, Pylon, in China."
"To be precise, another Hunter dealt with it, not us. Since that Hunter wishes to remain anonymous, I cannot disclose their identity."
"Rumor has it that the Hunter was a maid. Is this true?"
"I cannot comment on that."
After roughly an hour of interviews, we were finally able to leave the airport.
We didn't go straight home. Instead, we followed an Association staff member to the headquarters of the Korean Hunter Association.
Waiting for us at headquarters was Yu Hyeongwuk, the President of the Korean Hunter Association. A handsome man in his fifties with neatly styled silver-streaked hair, he exuded an air of authority and refinement.
"Thank you for coming back alive!"
Return rate: 57%.
This was the return rate for Korean Hunters who had been dispatched to China. Originally, the return rate should have been over 90%, as the Korean Hunter Association had taken great care to assign Korean Hunters to relatively safe missions.
However, the variable known as Pylon emerged, and the Hunters sent to China began to die.
The government, other Hunters, and the public all criticized us relentlessly, accusing us of sending Korean Hunters to their deaths.
Yu Hyeongwuk must be immensely grateful that even one more person had returned to Korea alive. Especially since Han Harin was the younger sister of a prospective S-Class Candidate.
"You are heroes of the Republic of Korea! When Pylon appeared across China, I was so..."
"Just a moment, Association President. I apologize, but we need to get home quickly. Could you please explain why you called us to the Association as soon as possible?"
I cut Yu Hyeongwuk off, sensing his tendency to ramble.
"Ah, my apologies. You must be eager to return home and see your families... I've kept you from them long enough. The reason I called you here is for compensation."
It seems they're expediting the compensation process due to the intense media scrutiny.
"First, we will pay a reward of 1 billion won and award you the Third-Class Hunter Medal. We will also grant performance points based on the contents of your reports from China."
The reward money held little appeal, as we hadn't expected much from it in the first place. The other Hunters felt the same way. For C-Rank Hunters, 1 billion won was a trivial sum.
The Third-Class Hunter Medal offered few practical benefits, amounting to little more than minor discounts at affiliated stores.
Yu Hyeongwuk personally presented each of us with dove-shaped medals, their left wings prominently displayed.
"Regarding performance points, we have decided to grant enough points for everyone except Hunter Sung Yujin to qualify for the B-Rank promotion exam."
"...Except for me?"