Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 28

The B-rank Hunter contract, which had seemed a sure thing, had fallen through.

Hyuk-Soo walked over to Cheol-Soo’s desk, clasped his hands together, and explained that they couldn’t finalize the contract due to various complications.

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“I’m sorry, Chief.”

He was sure that Cheol-Soo would be disappointed. The Fissure Management Division had never signed a B-rank Hunter in their history.

They had all believed it would be a breakthrough. But it didn’t happen, and the only thing waiting for Hyuk-Soo back at the office was the heavy atmosphere.

Cheol-Soo was playing an online game of Go while resting his chin on his hand. He didn’t take his eyes off the monitor.

“You thought he was a friend, but he wasn’t, right?” he muttered as he placed down a stone.

“No, he wasn’t.”

“Mhm... I wouldn’t want a truckload of guys like that. I’m more worried you might be hurt by this.”

[Victory]

Cheol-Soo smiled broadly as a message showed he’d won by half a point, then got up from his seat. When he noticed Do-Jun working hard at his desk, he called, “Do-Jun!”

Hearing his name, Do-Jun jumped up and turned around. Maybe because Cheol-Soo shouted so loudly, the other office staff briefly glanced over at the Fissure Exploration Unit.

Ignoring their looks, Cheol-Soo said to Hyuk-Soo and Do-Jun, “Come with me.”

With that, he strode out of the office, leaving the door open behind him.

“Let’s... let’s go, Do-Jun.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Hyuk-Soo and Do-Jun exchanged a glance and followed their chief.

***

“Chief, this is...” Hyuk-Soo looked up to check the sign hung outside the building they stood before.

The place they were led to by Cheol-Soo was...

Jewel Sauna. Open 24 hours.

Do-Jun checked his wristwatch. 9:40 AM. It was peak working hours.

“Let’s head inside.” Without hesitation, Cheol-Soo walked into the sauna.

“Is this not against work policy...?” Do-Jun asked.

Hyuk-Soo sighed and nodded.

“But what can we do? You know what our chief is like. Once he gets a whim, he acts on it immediately. I guess he’s got a whim for the sauna today.”

Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo followed him inside.

***

Wooooosh!

Cheol-Soo and Hyuk-Soo were washing themselves in the shower booths inside the bathhouse. Since it was a weekday morning, there weren’t many people around.

Perhaps that was why the silence from Cheol-Soo was even more stifling than usual.

What on earth is on the chief’s mind? Hyuk-Soo glanced at Cheol-Soo while lathering up.

“Hahaha!” Suddenly, Cheol-Soo let out a hearty laugh, then stopped abruptly.

People in the bathhouse looked at Cheol-Soo with puzzled expressions.

Why do I have to be the one to bear the embarrassment? Hyuk-Soo’s face turned red as he scrubbed himself vigorously.

Just then, the door slid open, and Do-Jun walked in.

“What the...” Hyuk-Soo was taken aback looking at Do-Jun’s well-toned and balanced body. His prominently displayed six-pack didn’t have an ounce of belly fat that most working men carried.

He was used to seeing such a sight in movies.

Do-Jun entered the shower booth next to Hyuk-Soo’s and turned on the water.

Woosh.

“D-do-Jun, you’re in incredible shape.”

“Am I? Thank you for the compliment.”

“Huh? What about his body...?” Cheol-Soo said as he turned around but quickly trailed off upon seeing Do-Jun's muscles.

He inhaled sharply, then looked down at his own protruding belly—the typical middle-aged paunch.

“I hate you,” he blurted out.

“What?”

“Never mind. Let’s just scrub each other’s backs.”

Cheol-Soo laid out three stools in a row in front of the bath and sat down on the front one. Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo finished their showers quickly and sat on the stools he had laid out.

They each put on a scrub towel on their hands and began scrubbing each other’s backs.

While scrubbing Hyuk-Soo, Cheol-Soo suddenly smacked him on the back.

“Ow! What are you doing, Chief?!”

“You’ve got such broad shoulders, yet you’re down about something like this.”

“Pardon me?”

“Thinking about it, it’s probably for the best. If that bastard actually joined us, we would’ve had to start managing B-rank Great Fissures. How were we going to handle that anyway? I can’t stand seeing one bad apple ruining our entire good bunch.”

Hyuk-Soo couldn’t say anything.

“And if you have any issues like that again, tell me right away. I’ll figure something out, whatever it takes. You too, Do-Jun. Got it?”

At those words, Do-Jun let out a small chuckle. “Yes, Chief.”

“Look, if the three of us break apart, we’re finished. But if we stick together, we thrive! In today’s civil service, where individualism is rampant, let’s try to be a bit different from everyone else. That sounds good?” Cheol-Soo exclaimed, emphasizing each word, his tone serious.

Hyuk-Soo felt incredibly grateful to his chief.

When he had mentioned the possibility of a contract with a B-rank Hunter, Cheol-Soo had been the happiest. After watching his peers get promoted quickly, he must have finally felt like he had a shot at a promotion himself.

“I’ll work hard, Chief.”

“That’s all I ask, buddy.” Cheol-Soo smiled broadly.

***

Friday, 9:00 PM.

Despite it being Friday night, Do-Jun was alone in the office, staring at his computer screen.

He was scrolling the website of the Hunter’s Bureau, looking through the various information. As he continued to scroll with the mouse wheel, his hand suddenly stopped.

“Looking for an attacker for a hunt in a newly formed B-rank Great Fissure! (Saturday)”

He clicked on the newly posted entry in the “Party Recruitment” tab.

“Hello! This is Hunter Choi Kyu-Sik from the Solomon Guild. We are looking for people to hunt in a new Great Fissure estimated to be a B-rank by the Hunter’s Bureau. The monsters appearing are Merfolk, and since it's not that well known yet, it’ll make a perfect hunting ground. We already have two healers and one tank ready, so novice attackers are also welcome! Contact: 010-1234-5678.”

Even novice attackers were welcome. Did that mean they would accept even a C-rank?

“Merfolk, huh.”

Do-Jun knew that Hunters generally avoided Merfolk monsters. They were always covered in a sticky substance that made them hard to attack, and, more importantly, they were poisonous, making them a very tricky opponent.

He glanced over the printout on his desk.

“Special Promotion Conditions Chart”

There were two ways for Hunters to increase their rank.

The first was the annual rank evaluation match.

The second was a special promotion, which could be taken at any time as long as certain conditions were met.

However, special promotions had more stringent requirements for level and stat totals compared to rank evaluations, so most Hunters opted for the annual rank evaluation match to rank up.

She has the skills but doesn’t meet the rest of the conditions.

For Ye-Ji to be promoted to a B-rank Hunter, she needed to meet the requirements of the Hunter’s Bureau: a level of 80 or above and the sum of her Strength, Agility, and Stamina to be 130 or more.

However, all the Fissures managed by the Fissure Management Division were C-rank or below, so their experience points were lower than those of Great Fissures, making it difficult to level up.

Do-Jun called the number listed on the bulletin.

Ring, ring.

—Hello?

“Hello, I saw your post on the bulletin. Are you accepting C-ranks as well?”

—Yes! Beginners are welcome. Our tank is an A-rank Hunter, so attacking will be easy. Plus, there are two healers, including myself, so it will be quite safe for Hunters of all levels.

Something felt off.

There were always plenty of attackers in the Hunter world, but there were always fewer healers and tanks than the demand.

So, having an A-rank tank and two healers welcoming a C-rank striker was a bit strange.

But Do-Jun decided to see how things played out.

“I’m in. When and where should I meet you?”

—Can you come to Seobinggo Station by 10 AM?

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

—Alright, see you then.

Click.

Everything proceeded smoothly. There wasn’t even an interview process commonly done when recruiting party members.

Hunting in Fissures carried considerable risk. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone died at any moment, anywhere.

That’s why it was typical to assess potential party members’ strengths, Skills, and ranks through interviews.

Why didn’t they ask me any questions?

Do-Jun rubbed his chin and searched for the Solomon Guild on the “Guild Search” tab on the Hunter’s Bureau website.

The guild was ranked D on the website and had a total of three members. Photos and legal names of the members were not disclosed in accordance with privacy laws.

“It does feel pretty fishy.”

Do-Jun decided to call Ye-Ji.

She answered within two seconds.

—H-hello?

“Ye-Ji, I’m sorry to call on a Friday night. Do you have a moment?”

—No problem, it’s fine! Go ahead, Mr. Administrator. I’m very, very free!

She sounded oddly excited, and sensing that, Do-Jun tilted his head in confusion and continued.

“Can you meet me at Seobinggo Station tomorrow at 9:30 AM?”

—Huh? D-does that mean... Yes, I’ll be there! I’ll definitely be there! Even if the sky is falling, I’ll be there!

“Well... Thanks for agreeing to come. See you tomorrow then.”

—Yes, Mr. Administrator!

After ending the call, Do-Jun returned to the Hunter’s Bureau website, went to the “Fissure Announcements” tab, and searched for Fissures near Seobinggo Station.

He quickly found one B-rank Great Fissure and printed out the map with its location and general information.

I’d better check it out in advance.

Just in case something goes wrong.

***

Meanwhile, Ye-Ji was rolling around on her bed, hugging a teddy bear, her lips curled into a big smile.

“He asked me out! Mr. Administrator actually asked me on a date...”

Do-Jun rarely contacted her outside of work. He always treated her like an ordinary colleague, never sending a text or calling outside of work, especially on weekends.

But then, a call came in on a Friday night. Naturally, Ye-Ji thought that Do-Jun had contacted her because he had feelings for her.

“Maybe Mr. Administrator was interested in me too, hehe.”

She unlocked her smartphone and opened the portal site.

“But where even is Seobinggo Station?”

After checking the location, Ye-Ji tilted her head in confusion.

It didn’t seem like a lively area. Even when she searched for restaurants or date spots near Seobinggo Station, there were no notable food or entertainment options.

“But since the Han River is nearby... We could go on a nice walk.”

Ye-Ji lowered her head, blushing as she imagined walking hand in hand with Do-Jun.

Pop!

She opened her closet and pulled out all the clothes hanging there, laying them on her bed.

She then typed in the search bar: Spring Date Outfit Ideas for Women.

***

10:00 PM, late at night.

Do-Jun arrived at Seobinggo Station and looked over the map he had brought.

A few days ago, the Hunter’s Bureau had announced a B-rank Great Fissure.

After following the Han River down, he found an outdoor public court for volleyball and tennis. A bit further along the river and the walking trail, he found the Fissure, which was about fifteen meters tall, tearing through the sky.

Is this the place?

The B-rank Great Fissure where Merfolk were said to appear.

Do-Jun took out his civil servant ID from his pocket and placed it on the terminal controlling access to the Fissure.

[Lee Do-Jun, Fissure Management Division, confirmed.]

The fence gate opened, and Do-Jun entered the Fissure.