Civil Servant Hunter's S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 2
That day was just like any other.
Word came in that a blue gate had appeared in a park, so Yoon Se-ra was dispatched alongside Jung Tae-seok from her team.
It was a straightforward mission: measure the rank of the dungeon beyond the gate and ask one of the guilds cooperating with the Korean Awakener Management Association to clear it.
"Still not done measuring? If you're a useless F-rank, at least move your ass faster. See, this is exactly why F-ranks are worthless."
It would have been perfect if not for that nagging voice from behind.
Yoon Se-ra let out a silent sigh at the nonsense coming from Park Jin-yong, the leader of the raiding party assigned to this job.
Among Awakeners, F-ranksthe lowest of the lowwere called trash ranks and treated like dirt wherever they went.
Association civil servants got off a bit lighter, but this guy had awakened as an A-rank and joined one of the country's top five guilds right away, so he saw public servants as nothing more than bootlickers to clean up after guilds.
Getting angry at every little thing would just tire her out, so Se-ra ignored him.
But the jerk showed no signs of stopping.
"The Association's a joke. If public servants are the ones who interact most with guilds, hire some decent ones. Why roll out trash like this F-rank waste?"
Oh boy? Does he have a motor in his mouth or what? The way he was revving up was the mark of someone well-practiced.
'Did an F-rank eat his lunch money or something? Everyone else knows to keep their heads downwhy's he always picking fights?'
Se-ra scoffed and shot him a sidelong glance, utterly exasperated.
So what if he was an A-rank hunter from Cheongrang Guild? Big deal. You look like an F-rank in personality.
"What? Got a problem? That glare of yours is something else."
As if hearing that barking nonsense would put anyone in a good mood.
"Did I say something wrong? Huh? I get it with others, but a tax-wasting F-rank civil servant like you? My taxes hurt just looking at you."
Tax-wasting, my ass! If I really slacked off, I'd feel guilty!
Se-ra lamented inwardly. She pulled overtime every single day, and she couldn't even remember the last time she'd left on time.
Iron rice bowl civil servant? That was ancient history. No Association employee had that luxury. Everyone risked their lives on the job.
Biting her lip, Se-ra glanced at the rippling blue gate.
But she couldn't voice her complaints here. Messing up the raid over something petty could turn a minor incident into a disaster.
Fine. The more sensible, patient me will just let it go.
"Our Association only works for the citizens' safety. Rank doesn't matter when it comes to that resolve."
Unlike you idiots who judge people solely by rank, we carry a pretty important mission.
Se-ra mocked him inwardly while smiling sweetly on the outside. As expected, the fool didn't catch her meaning and just snorted.
"Give me a break. Hey, it's been years since the world flippedwhy are you still spouting that crap? Huh? In this world, rank is everything. Then again, what would you know? You've never even properly cleared a dungeon."
Park Jin-yong's thick finger poked her head. Se-ra's face stiffened with disgust.
She'd put up with the disdain, but... this was too much. Was being F-rank such a crime? Luck could screw anyone, no matter the rank. They were all in the same boat.
"I don't know why you're picking on me. Oh, nervous about the raid? Well, if that's it, I'll understand."
Se-ra met Park Jin-yong's eyes and smiled coldly.
The man's face, which had been sneering at her, hardened.
"What?"
"Even A-ranks can't help fearing raids sometimes. If it's hard to tell your guild, I can pass it on for you. Gotta work hard if you don't want to be a tax-wasting civil servant."
Park Jin-yong's ugly jowls quivered at Se-ra's sarcasm. It was hilarious. Compared to what he'd said, this was mild, yet he was fuming.
Beep beep.
Just then, an alarm blared from the dungeon mana measurer in her hand, signaling the measurement was complete. Park Jin-yong's eyes snapped to it.
Ah, finally, he'll leave now.
Se-ra called out to Jung Tae-seok, who was on the phone requesting park perimeter control.
"Team Leader, measurement's done. Type is standard dungeon, rank is..."
She was about to announce the rank engraved on the measurer to Jung Tae-seok, who'd just hung up and approached.
"Perfect timing."
A voice thick with malice rained down on her. Se-ra froze mid-sentence and looked up with wide eyes.
"Time to show a tax-wasting F-rank who bails on raids what real danger looks like."
The first thing she saw was a thick hand swinging toward her.
Suddenly, everything slowed down.
Park Jin-yong reaching for her, her body grabbed by the collar and shaken, her vision blurring into chaos, her body flying through the air.
Everything dragged on slowly, like a clock with a broken spring.
Jung Tae-seok's shocked face reflected in Se-ra's widened eyes.
"Yoon Se-ra!"
But it was only for a moment.
Crash! Her whole body slammed violently to the ground, snapping Se-ra back to reality.
Her vision, her surroundings... everything had changed.
"...What the hell."
This wasn't the park with the broken gate. Somehow, she was trapped in a cave of dry, earthen walls.
Ah, the moment she realized it, her body began trembling uncontrollably.
No. No way. Even if that bastard was crazy, he wouldn't do something like this.
No matter how pissed he was, he wouldn't throw me into a dungeon!
But the system message floating before her eyes made Se-ra spew curses.
"You crazy bastard!"
3rd-grade! How could he throw someone into a high-grade dungeon like this? He'd seen the mana measurerhe knew the rank!
'No. Stay calm first! I can get out right now!'
Gates don't close until the boss is defeated. So she should be able to exit without issue. Once out, she'd make that jerk pay for this.
Se-ra hurriedly reached for the gate.
But her hand didn't pass through to the outside.
"Why...?"
The gate was closed.
"What the hell!"
It hadn't even seen the boss monster!
Grrrrowl. At the chilling beastly growl from behind, Se-ra whipped around.
"Ah..."
Dozens of wolf-like monsters drooled as they stared at her.
"...Please... spare me."
Her pleading voice echoed pathetically through the cave.
But all that answered were the wolves charging at their prey.
* * *
Huff, pant...!
Se-ra, who'd been running frantically, crammed herself into a corner of the cave. As she peeked out to check the situation, she noticed her shoe had come off, leaving her foot a bloody mess.
"When did that happen?"
She'd hastily torn her jacket to bandage it like a wrap, but blood was already spotting the ground. She had to escape before the scent drew more monsters...
"Mana's already bottomed out."
And that was just the start.
"No backup's coming either."
The fact that nothing had happened despite the time passed meant the gate was still shut.
She hadn't even glimpsed the bosswhy was it closed?
Why the hell did that trash bastard pick this place to throw me into!
"It was just one damn word. One little snide remark got you this mad?"
She shouldn't make noise, but who cared now. No mana anywayit was over.
"Was hitting back such a crime? You can treat me like trash, but I can't even snap once? Why the hell should I suffer like this!"
Desperation, rage, the burning will to live, the agony of knowing she couldn't escape on her ownit all poured out in a voice that shook the wolves' cave.
That was the moment.
Yoon Se-ra's eyes went wide at the system window before her.
"Dungeons only let you use inventory normally..."
Responding to her voice? Forcibly activated? She couldn't make sense of it.
Stunned, Se-ra tentatively manipulated the system just in case.
"Ah...!"
The community site run by the system really appeared before her eyes.
Se-ra's face lit up.
The Association monitored this community 24/7 for gate creation info. She could contact the outside through it!
"If I can just reach the Director..."
Her division director and the Association's number two. Gruff on the surface but caring deep downthinking of him sparked a ray of hope in Se-ra's crushed heart.
Grrrrowl. But that hope was crushed under the claws of beasts that appeared as if waiting.
Wolves drawn by the blood scent had closed in unnoticed.
"...Of all the luck."
Se-ra let her hand drop limply.
Ah, system, you damn thing. If you were gonna react, why not a little sooner? Dying in despair hurts less than hope shattering first.
"You fucking system bastard!"
That was why.
In the instant dozens of wolves lunged, Se-ra unwittingly cursed not Park Jin-yong, but the system.
Ah. But what the hell was this?
As if reacting to the curse, system messages popped up one after another.
...Pardon? Wait, what?
The System Administrator showing up here...?
'...For real?'