Chapter 90
Song Hwa-rin,
the mighty S-rank Hunter and master of the White Lotus Guild,
had knelt before Hong Man-gi, an ordinary mid-to-low-ranking Hunter.
It should have been impossible.
Yet Hong Man-gi had turned that impossible sight into reality.
"Thank you."
Song Hwa-rin's voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Thank you... for saving me."
She looked at him with shaking eyes.
"I truly mean it. From the bottom of my heart... I offer you all my gratitude."
It was the sincere gratitude of a person who had been saved.
No,
of a Hunter who had finally been saved.
Hong Man-gi stared at her blankly.
Then he smiled faintly.
"If the customer is satisfied, that's enough for me."
A smile slowly spread across Song Hwa-rin's face.
Her cheeks, which had regained color and fullness with shocking speed, now looked gentle and warm.
As though the terrifying woman from earlier had never existed.
Then,
her eyes suddenly became sharp again.
"Cha Mu-jin... that snake-like bastard."
She ground her teeth.
"Maybe it's because my mind and body are finally working again... but now I can think clearly."
Hong Man-gi tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"That bastard... he tried to use me, didn't he?"
Song Hwa-rin's expression darkened.
"You and him have some kind of conflict, right?"
She continued.
"He sent me to you because he expected you to fail. That's what happened, isn't it?"
Hong Man-gi silently nodded.
Song Hwa-rin's eyes flashed.
"I knew it. That fucking idiot dared to use me?"
Her killing intent rose again.
"He dared to use me like a chess piece?"
She jumped to her feet.
The overwhelming presence of an S-rank Hunter erupted once more.
But this time,
it felt like a shield protecting Hong Man-gi.
Song Hwa-rin looked toward him.
"Hong Man-gi."
"Yes."
"From today onward, you are the person who saved my life."
Her voice became firm.
"The White Lotus Guild will consider your enemies our enemies."
Hong Man-gi blinked.
"My... enemies?"
She held out her hand.
"Why is your restaurant out here?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"Because of Cha Mu-jin, right?"
"Well... there were several circumstances, so temporarily...."
"I'll reopen it for you."
Song Hwa-rin smiled.
"No. I'll turn it into the best restaurant in South Korea."
She held her hand steady.
"I'll stand behind you so that bastard Cha Mu-jin can't touch you."
Hong Man-gi gave a faint laugh and took her hand.
It was warm now.
A victorious smile appeared on his lips.
'Are you watching, Cha Mu-jin?'
Brilliant sunlight poured over the outdoor restaurant in the forest.
It looked almost like the dawn of a new future blessing them.
Song Hwa-rin's bold declaration stirred the forest once again.
The customers, Hunters who had been watching from a safe distance, slowly approached and began whispering.
"Did... Song Hwa-rin just kneel?"
"Th, that's incredible. What the hell...?"
"Has anything like that ever happened before?"
"Of course not. Something like that is impossible."
"Wow... that's seriously unbelievable...."
A promise from an S-rank Hunter.
Hong Man-gi held Song Hwa-rin's hand and thought for a brief moment.
'Should I just openly ask her to go beat up Cha Mu-jin?'
No.
That would look too pathetic.
And somehow, he felt it would be better to make her move on her own without hurting the pride of an S-rank Hunter.
That would create fewer problems afterward.
'Is there a way to make sure she acts as my ally more directly...?'
Hong Man-gi slowly released her hand.
Then he made the most pitiful and unfairly treated expression he could possibly manage.
"Haa...."
He sighed heavily enough to make the ground sink.
It was an award-winning performance.
Song Hwa-rin tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
Hong Man-gi hesitated.
"It's nothing."
"Say it."
"Well... even if you say that, this may actually be the last time I can cook for you."
Song Hwa-rin's eyes twitched.
"The last time?"
Hong Man-gi lowered his gaze sadly.
"My ingredient suppliers have all been threatened. The markets won't sell to me. The Association's Inspection Department has practically cut off every way I have to operate the restaurant."
He sighed again.
"I can hunt ingredients like this temporarily, but I can't run a proper restaurant forever."
The word "last" made Song Hwa-rin's eyes tremble.
She had only just recovered her tongue.
She had only just remembered the pleasure of living.
And now the only person capable of supplying that pleasure might disappear?
It was practically a death sentence.
"Who decided this would be the last time?!"
Song Hwa-rin shouted.
S-rank killing intent once again erupted from her body.
But this time, it was not directed toward Hong Man-gi.
"Inspection Department? Hah. What a joke."
She pulled out her phone.
"Wait."
Then she called somewhere.
"Hey, it's me. Connect me to the Association Chairman immediately."
Hong Man-gi, Kang Jae-min, and Lee Yu-han all swallowed at the same time.
The Association Chairman?
The person standing at the top of South Korea's Hunters?
She was casually demanding to speak with him?
After a short wait, the call connected.
Song Hwa-rin spoke bluntly.
"Hey, old man. It's me. Song Hwa-rin."
A deep elderly voice came through the phone.
[...Guild Master Song? What brings you to call me? I haven't heard from you at all lately.]
"Someone's harassing my personal physician."
[Personal physician? You mean someone from the hospital?]
"No."
Song Hwa-rin glanced toward Hong Man-gi.
"The personal physician who fixed my appetite. You know Hong Man-gi, don't you?"
There was a brief silence.
[Hong Man-gi... who was that again? Ah, the winner of Blue and White Cooking King? He cured your illness? Does that mean you've returned to normal?]
Surprise filled the Association Chairman's voice.
"Yeah. Thanks to him, I'm finally feeling alive again."
Song Hwa-rin stretched her shoulders.
"My body's itching so badly that I feel like clearing every top-rank dungeon I can find."
Then her voice turned cold.
"But apparently a bastard named Cha Mu-jin is running around trying to destroy my personal physician's livelihood."
She glanced at Hong Man-gi and smiled.
"You know I get a little sensitive when I can't eat, right?"
Her smile widened.
"So if my meals get cut off again... I won't be paying this month's Association Development Fund."
[What?!]
"And I'll have to completely reconsider all White Lotus Guild Hunters currently dispatched to Association duties."
Her tone remained casual.
"I should personally handle important work, but I can't work while I'm hungry, can I?"
Hong Man-gi cheered inwardly.
'Yes! That's exactly it!'
The Hunter Association was a public organization.
However, a considerable part of its operating funds came from donations and taxes paid by major guilds.
If support from a top guild such as White Lotus disappeared, the Association's finances would immediately suffer.
Even while Song Hwa-rin had been suffering from the curse and barely functioning, White Lotus Guild had continued supporting the Association.
Now that Song Hwa-rin had returned,
that support could become even greater.
However,
what if an S-rank Hunter like Song Hwa-rin declared a strike?
It could create a national security gap.
There was no Association Chairman in the world who would turn an S-rank Hunter and one of the country's greatest guilds into enemies just to protect a single Inspection Department Team Leader.
Cha Mu-jin's enormous authority came from the system called the Association.
Song Hwa-rin, however, possessed enough wealth, military strength, and connections to shake that system itself.
The Association Chairman's voice immediately became uneasy.
[Haha... well now... it seems Team Leader Cha made some sort of mistake. I'll handle it personally. We certainly can't have Guild Master Song unable to eat.]
Song Hwa-rin's expression remained cold.
"Make sure you do."
She spoke clearly.
"If Hong Man-gi's restaurant isn't allowed to reopen tomorrow, I'll personally storm the Association headquarters."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Understood?"
[Understood, understood. Calm down. I promise on my name.]
"Good. Thanks. Let's have tea sometime."
Song Hwa-rin ended the call.
Then she looked toward Hong Man-gi.
"Satisfied?"
Hong Man-gi smiled innocently and nodded.
"Ah, Guild Master. Thank you very much."
He placed a hand over his chest.
"It's not that I wanted anything like this, but I'm deeply moved by your righteous heart."
Song Hwa-rin snorted.
"Hmph. Don't misunderstand. I didn't do it for you."
"Of course."
Hong Man-gi smiled brightly.
"Now I'll show you a true feast of flavor."
"Whatever you want."
Song Hwa-rin spoke as though uninterested, but her expression had softened.
"Now that the nuisance is gone, open your restaurant tomorrow."
She crossed her arms.
"Reserve the most expensive menu for me."
Hong Man-gi bowed politely.
"Of course. I'll prepare a VIP seat for you."
Kang Jae-min poked Hong Man-gi in the side and whispered,
"Wow... Chef, you're seriously a fox. You just used an S-rank Hunter like an employee at a complaints desk."
Hong Man-gi gave him a small wink.
"It's a business strategy."
At least within South Korea,
there was now practically no one who could casually touch the Full Moon Restaurant.
Hong Man-gi now had the strongest S-rank Hunter,
and the entire guild behind her,
supporting him.
That was Hong Man-gi's position now.
He looked at his companions and smiled.
"Now, let's finally get back to running our restaurant properly."
