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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Corpse-Eating Ape (1)
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The day after securing the Gate.
Kang Sa-hu and Kang Ji-ye sat in a café near the Gate they were about to enter, sipping coffee while waiting for the others.
"Wow, but that's impressive. Kim Ho-myeong oppa snagged the Gate, right? The competition for F-rank Gates is insane these days. How'd he pull it off?"
"It is mysterious. And all the Gates are clustered around the capital area, so we don't even have to travel far."
Gates appeared completely at random.
They could pop up behind nameless mountains, inside highway tunnels, or even in ordinary homes, so it wasn't an exaggeration to say they emerged unpredictably across the nation.
Yet snagging only Gates near the capital? No matter how you looked at it, that was too suspicious to chalk up to sheer luck.
"Maybe... Kim Ho-myeong oppa's hiding something from us?"
"Hiding something? Like what?"
He could have brushed it off as nonsense, but Kang Sa-hu couldn't help his curiosity about what secret his sister was imagining.
"Well, like... what if he's actually in the military unit that detects Gates? Or a member of some secret government organization!"
At the words "secret organization," Kang Sa-hu's eyes darkened briefly.
But seeing his sister's sparkling eyes, eagerly awaiting validation of her theory, he sighed and shook his head.
"Drink your coffee."
Kang Ji-ye pouted at her brother, who lost interest the moment she got her answer.
"Ugh, it could happen. Don't dismiss it like that."
'It's not dismissal. The problem is, it really could be.'
Kang Sa-hu didn't respond. Instead, he pulled up the Gate app on his phone and reread the details for today's Gate over and over.
Initially, the government required in-person briefings to avoid public panic, restricting access to Gate info.
But after citizens hit back with facts like, "Don't bullshit us. A Gate in our backyard is scarier without info," the government caved and updated the app with public access.
Now, Hunters could check details upfront, plan ahead, skip on-site briefings, and everyone—Hunters and civilians alike—was happy.
"Your Gate's a grassland zone."
"What monsters come out?"
"Giant Frogs. Dog-sized frogs."
"Eww, gross!"
Kang Ji-ye recoiled at the mention of frogs.
Imagining dog-sized frogs hopping across vast plains made her stomach churn.
As she slurped her coffee to settle it...
The bell on the café door jingled, and three people walked in.
"Hey."
"Yo, Party Leader! And cutie pie! How've you been?"
Kim Ho-myeong and Bae Deok-ho greeted them.
Lee Yu-rim just nodded silently.
Kang Sa-hu and Kang Ji-ye returned the greetings. They ordered drinks and took their seats.
Bae Deok-ho filled his cheeks with sweet green grape ade and gulped it down.
"Ahh, refreshing. So, Party Leader, how'd you snag ten Gates? You're a beast!"
"I didn't snag them."
Kang Sa-hu glanced at Kim Ho-myeong as he spoke, drawing everyone's eyes to him.
"Oh yeah? Impressive skills! What's the secret?"
"I just hunted for Gates as frantically as scalping concert tickets."
"Hmm, really? Didn't work for me..."
As Bae Deok-ho shrugged and reached for his drink, Kang Ji-ye leaned toward Kim Ho-myeong.
"Kim Ho-myeong oppa... are you secretly in some info group? NIS agent, right?!"
"Pfft!"
Bae Deok-ho sprayed his cheek-full of green grape ade like a fountain. Kang Ji-ye, sitting right in front, shrieked.
"Kyaaah! What the hell!"
"S-sorry! I-it just..."
Kang Sa-hu, sensing trouble before the spray and dodging quick, grabbed wet wipes and handed them to Kang Ji-ye.
She wiped her face with the towel, glaring murderously at Bae Deok-ho.
"Why'd you freak out, mister?! I asked oppa! What, are you NIS?!"
"N-no! That's not—!"
Bae Deok-ho endured a thorny tirade from Kang Ji-ye before earning forgiveness with a promise of new clothes and sincere apologies.
Kang Sa-hu watched silently.
Once Kang Ji-ye washed up in the bathroom and returned, he spoke up from where he stood beside the damp sofa.
"Now, let's go over the hunting plan."
As she sat, all four pairs of eyes turned to Kang Sa-hu.
"We have four Gates to clear today, so I'll split us up."
"...Huh? What?"
Bae Deok-ho dug in his ear, then asked with an innocent face.
Thinking he'd misheard, Kang Sa-hu kindly repeated himself.
"W-wait. Four at once?"
Not just Bae Deok-ho—even Lee Yu-rim looked shocked, leaving Kang Sa-hu to tilt his head.
"Didn't you read the group chat? We applied and reserved them, but if we don't enter by the deadline, rights pass to the next party."
"Uh...?"
Lee Yu-rim fumbled for her phone and opened the Gate app, flustered.
"...It's true."
Bae Deok-ho checked too and looked baffled.
To clear all reserved Gates, they had to move now—time was tight.
Seeing their shock at the aggressive schedule, Kang Sa-hu reassured them.
"But these are small F-rank Gates with low monster counts. Not like the big ones we've done before."
Bae Deok-ho scratched his head at the mention of small size, then snorted.
"Well, five of us on F-ranks that tiny? Easy peasy!"
He tried cheering the mood, but Kang Sa-hu shook his head again.
"Not five."
"...Huh? What, Party Leader?"
As Bae Deok-ho and Lee Yu-rim stared, Kang Sa-hu mentally noted them for "doesn't read info ahead" and explained.
"Entry limits scale with rank and size. Today's Gates: three-person, three-person, two-person, one-person."
"Wh-what?!"
"No way?"
They panicked at his explanation.
"Th-then... how do we split...?"
"I'll explain that."
Kang Sa-hu pulled out prepared A4 sheets.
Printed screenshots from the Gate app, with today's Gates marked 1 through 4 in pen.
"See here: the two three-person Gates are close together. The two- and one-person ones are a bit apart."
"Got it."
Kim Ho-myeong picked up, and Kang Sa-hu continued swiftly.
"My plan: one three-person Gate with Kim Ho-myeong, Bae Deok-ho, and Ji-ye."
"Reason?"
Lee Yu-rim asked, and he answered simply.
"Safest combo for three-person difficulty. Need attacker, defender, healer together."
"Makes sense!"
Kang Ji-ye nodded, so Kang Sa-hu pointed to a distant Gate.
"Meanwhile, Lee Yu-rim and I take the two-person one. Meet midway after, then do the last two."
"Issue's this one-person Gate..."
Bae Deok-ho eyed the last one; everyone looked troubled.
One-person sounded easy, but non-combat Ji-ye was out. Same for Kim Ho-myeong.
Left with three, but neither Bae Deok-ho nor Lee Yu-rim felt good soloing.
Naturally, eyes turned to Kang Sa-hu. He nodded calmly.
"I'll take it."
"...Figures."
"Yes. Most logical and safe."
Not arrogant bravado—just stating facts plainly. They nodded silently.
Definitely suited him better than ranged Bae Deok-ho or close-quarters Lee Yu-rim.
Explanation done, Kang Sa-hu checked his phone's clock and scanned them.
"Time's up. Meet back here after clears."
He pointed to the pre-mentioned spot; they nodded.
Suddenly remembering something, Kang Ji-ye raised her hand.
"Wait, so I don't have to do the frog Gate, right?"
"I explained already. No."
"Hmph..."
She made a sad face at his firm line.
After splitting—Kim Ho-myeong, Bae Deok-ho, and Kang Ji-ye to their Gate.
Kang Sa-hu and Lee Yu-rim reached theirs. Police guarding it checked Hunter licenses.
"Identities confirmed. Good luck."
With countless Hunters around, checks were quick. They stepped into the person-sized Gate.
Inside, Kang Sa-hu scanned around.
Matched the app: dark night, no moon or stars.
Ruins of brick houses like medieval relics, crumbling in desolate vibes.
And scampering inside like playground kids: small monkeys.
Kkeek?
Kkia! Kkia!
Spotting the newcomers, the monkeys shrieked loudly.
"Shall we start?"
Lee Yu-rim drew her dagger, wary of the ear-piercing cries.
Monkey-like, but twice her size. [Corpse-Eating Ape] floated above.
Kang Sa-hu, who'd been muttering rapidly like self-talk pre-entry, nodded.
"Yes. Let's."
She wondered why he kept mumbling but suppressed it—already inside.
Expecting Giant Hounds like before, she gripped her dagger, ready to charge.
"...?"
But time passed, no summon. She glanced back puzzled.
"Uh, Kang Sa-hu... Party Leader? Why no big dogs?"
"Ah, not using Giant Hounds this time."
"...What?!"
Lee Yu-rim yelped in shock.
So unlike his usual calm—it rattled her that much.
"B-but then how do we fi—!"
Before she finished, the shrieking Apes charged.
Kkieak!
Their leap power matched their look: more launched than jumping.
She gritted her teeth at the monster hurtling at her.
But no collision.
Kkieaaak!
The Ape twisted mid-air before reaching her, crashing down.
It writhed on the ground, clutching its head, screaming.
Ukk?!
The Apes panicked, shrieking in confusion.
They looked to Lee Yu-rim, then froze at Kang Sa-hu.
Icy deep blue and sticky deep green glows poured like smoke from his eyes.
Meeting the paralyzed monsters' gazes, Kang Sa-hu nodded.
"This'll do."
As if calculations complete, he swung his right arm.
With the gesture, a sky-shattering monkey wail echoed through the night.
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