Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

In the northern part of the city, however, things were different. Buildings had collapsed in rows, and the streets were filled with tens, thousands of charred cars. Utility poles and street lamps had been uprooted and were sticking out of buses.

Thankfully, there were no bodies, thanks to locals who had collected the dead. The scene looked like a disaster movie, and one could hear people swallowing their saliva. Some congressmen worried about safety, but Kang Mu-hyuk reassured them not to worry.

"Named monsters have long been staying near Sky-Touching Mountain Range and the Hamgyong Mountains. They rarely came this far. Since the Hunters' defense was strong,  apart from the initial damage, the city didn't face other threats. If we just set up strike teams, we can easily wipe out any named monsters in the future, so there's no need to stress."

Only after hearing Kang Mu-hyuk's briefing about the city's safety, did people relax. But those people didn't realise that Kang Mu-hyuk's face, who was friendly to them just now like the words he was speaking, had changed into a cold, serious expression.

The congressmen and a broadcasting crew gathered near the collapsed toll gate in northern Cheongjin. The broadcasting crew had planned a live broadcast with the Guild Cooperation Agency, so they prepared for it. Since they hadn't shown live battlefield footage in a while, they had high expectations for it.

The reporter held the mic with the congressmen in the background. The producer gave the cue signal, and just then, the light on the camera connected to the studio turned on.

Bang!

 Suddenly, an explosion rang out in the distance.

It was quite far away, so the sound echoed like church bells. Most people flinched, but no one made a big deal out of it. In fact, the broadcast team welcomed it, thinking it added a sense of realism to the scene as fitting background noise. As the producer twirled his finger in the air, the announcer began speaking. The intermittent sound of explosions seemed to keep time with the announcer's words.

"This is the northern toll gate of Cheongjin City. Not long ago, monsters descended down from the Tumen River defense line..."

Before he could finish, a much louder explosion went off. More explosions followed, each one getting closer.

The announcer stopped talking and turned toward the sound. The producer didn't even say cut. He and the cameraman followed, subconsciously pointing the camera in the direction of the noise.

Smoke began rising from the horizon. It slowly climbed high into the sky. The smoke spread in all directions and then settled around the area like a thick fog.

"Huh?"

The smoke was coming right at them, even though there wasn't any wind.

"Wh-what's that?"

"Shouldn't we be dodging that?"

But before they could decide, the smoke reached them.

Suddenly, the ground started to tremble. It was a deep, rhythmic thud, like the earth had a heartbeat. The trembling grew louder and stronger.

Confused, people began asking, "What's happening?" and "What's going on?"

Just then, someone pointed through the smoke, noticing a giant shadow moving inside. They tried to shout a warning, but when the thing finally came through the smoke, they were left speechless.

A huge snake, several meters long, slid into view, flicking its forked tongue.

"Ahhh!"

"Uaaah! R-run...!"

Screams echoed from all directions. As people tried to back away and escape, the snake's sharp eyes scanned the area. It was as if someone had pressed the stop button, and everyone froze in place. They wanted to call for help from the Hunters standing behind them, but no sound came out of their mouths.

For some reason, the Hunters were also standing still. The association chairman acted like nothing was happening, and the head of the Guild Cooperation Agency had completely turned his back.

People wondered if they were in a nightmare. Some were drooling and crying. A few wet their pants, and others fainted where they stood. They struggled in silence, but their bodies couldn't move, completely overpowered by the monster's skill.

But not everyone was stuck. Footsteps echoed in the chaos. Just one person.

Kang Mu-hyuk calmly walked through the crowd, who stood frozen like statues. His steps were slow and confident.

"That's a Smoke Snake. We call it the 'Fog Snake' here in Korea."

He backed away while facing the people. Then, pointing behind him, he turned around and walked toward the Smoke Snake. Suddenly, he started giving a briefing.

"The Smoke Snake is a large reptile monster, similar to the Watusi Snake, another well-known snake monster. Its size ranges from around 15 to 25 meters. Smoke emerges from gill-like slits under its jaw, and it usually hides inside this smoke. It also uses a skill to paralyze its prey with its gaze. To block this, you can either resist it with mana or, like this..."

Kang Mu-hyuk turned back to face the people and pointed to his face.

"Just wear sunglasses or something to protect your eyes."

He turned back to the snake and walked closer to the Smoke Snake.

"And unlike most snakes, they travel in packs. Like this."

As soon as he said that, the smoke lifted. One by one, shadows appeared from within the fog. There were eight Smoke Snakes in total. Around them, Hunters were locked in battle. The noise of the fighting, which had been going on the whole time, only reached people's ears once they could see what was happening. They had been too shocked to notice it before.

The eerie shrieks of the Smoke Snakes, the shouts of the Hunters, and the explosive sounds of skills all mixed together in a fierce battle. Fights were breaking out everywhere, but the Smoke Snake right in front of Kang Mu-hyuk didn't move. It simply stared down at the people, watching them.

"This battle is being handled by the Iron Will Guild's Expedition team. As promised, your safety is guaranteed."

At that moment, a small shadow dropped from above Kang Mu-hyuk's head.

Thud!

The figure landed hard on the ground, almost breaking it. It was a small girl. She reached out her hand toward the Smoke Snake, and the creature, like a puppet on strings, was pushed back by her touch. Kang Mu-hyuk removed his sunglasses and gave her an order.

"Hunter Go Eul-ji, take care of this one too."

Go Eul-ji muttered quietly, just loud enough for Kang Mu-hyuk to hear, "First hunting, and now you're making me put on a show? Don't grill me so dang hard, Guild Leader."

She thrust her hand forward, and the massive body of the Smoke Snake floated up, following her hand's movement, and sailed to where the other snakes were engaged in battle.

As soon as the snake's gaze broke, the people collapsed, gasping for breath. They watched as Kang Mu-hyuk walked over to the broadcast team. He almost snatched the microphone from the stunned reporter, while the camera kept rolling. Despite the chaos, the crew didn't cut the feed.

Normally, they would have switched to a standby screen, but they couldn't miss the chance to broadcast the monster battle happening live right in front of them. Plus, Cha Gil-joo had already given a heads-up to the station's higher-ups.

Kang Mu-hyuk helped the shaky cameraman up and stood in front of the lens.

"This is just everyday life here," he said. He grabbed the camera, pointing it at the battlefield.

"Hoeryong: 22,421 dead. Wushan: 31,111 dead. Daehongdan: 10,017 dead. And 141,763 are missing. There are countless other victims we haven't counted yet."

Each time he mentioned the deaths, he bit his lip in growing frustration.

"This information is not being controlled under the so-called Monster Security Act. The media isn't trying to find the truth."

He turned the camera back to himself. His face filled the screen, and his breath fogged up the lens.

"South Korea is collapsing right now. Thousands are dead in the north. If this place falls, none of you will be safe either."

The cameraman regained his composure and acted professionally. He stepped back and zoomed out. The battle scene appeared again, showing the collapsed toll gate and the broken road.

Kang Mu-hyuk pointed at it.

"This is your future."

Just as he was about to say more, the live broadcast light on the camera went off. He caught on to the fact that someone had cut the feed.

'Well, that lasted longer than I expected.'

He already had enough footage. It was live, and everyone who was watching would have seen it. The government couldn't hide it anymore either.

Now, the media had no choice but to speak up. If they stayed silent even after witnessing this scene, they'd be seen as indifferent or incompetent. If people began to doubt the media's role, it would be practically their downfall.

Now, the fight would continue on its own.

Whether anyone liked it or not.

After the shocking broadcast, online forums exploded with questions and discussions.

<Did anyone know the Tumen River was destroyed?>

I looked up old articles, but they downplayed it.

└ "Bastards. I heard monsters are all over the city."  

└ "But there was nothing about this on social media.Someone would've posted about it." 

└ "North and South Hamgyeong shut down their internet."  

└ "What about the refugees? How'd they stop people who escaped from speaking up?"  

└ "Gil-joo, was it? I heard they blocked everyone from going further south."  

└ "Seriously? Is this a democracy or a dictatorship? They're just shutting people up."  

└ "Don't you know about the Monster Security Act? The government can block news."

<Why did the congressmen even go there?>

We've always known they were idiots, but they went up there after blocking the news and took pictures like it was something to be proud of. Did they go there to kill themselves since they were  sorry to the citizens?

└ "As if."

└ "They're the kind of guys to shit on the walls."

└ "They were fooled into going there too."

└ "What are you talking about?"

└"Check the news."  

└ "Gasp! Lol It's real!"

The media, feeling the pressure, started publishing dramatic headlines.

<Massive casualties in North Hamgyong. Wasn't the north part of South Korea?>

<Government's deliberate control of information. Is the public's right to know being protected?>

<Tumen River incident buried for the election. Both parties in cahoots for the cover-up.>

<Whistleblower informed the media, but no one reported it. Reporter from XX Newspaper silenced under government pressure. Journalist Association releases statement.>

Among these, the news that caught the most attention from netizens was why the congressmen went to the battlefield.

<Cha Gil-joo, Director of the Guild Cooperation Agency, disciplined for document forgery. Prosecutor's summons imminent.>

<Hero of the Great War, Han Byunggu, President of the Hunter Association. Admits the report forgery was done at the association level. Cha Gil-joo is innocent.>

<Kang Mu-hyuk's shocking move. He wanted to reveal the grim reality of the northern crisis.>

The news was that someone had falsified the war report and sent it to the National Assembly. The ridiculous behavior of the congressmen who went to Cheongjin for their election campaigns was widely criticized. 

One congressman, who wet his pants in fear, became an internet meme and spread online. A few days later, even more absurd news appeared, leaving the public dumbfounded.

<Iron Will is the real culprit behind this incident. Rep. Park Dosu says "I have evidence!">

<Problems with leadership in Guild Leader system. Non-Hunters abusing their authority.>

<White Tiger Guild member: Kang Mu-hyuk is a dangerous, antisocial figure. He's disrupting the established system.>

Soon, articles criticizing Kang Mu-hyuk, the one who revealed the truth about the incident, began to pop up everywhere. 

Even the congressmen joined in, pushing the narrative against him. From claims of a coup against the legislature to vulgar insults, the attacks were relentless. 

At times, there were even scandals suggesting that Guild Master Ju Se-Ah appointed Kang Mu-hyuk as Guild Leader because of a personal relationship, implying it wasn't based on his abilities but on favoritism.

Contrary to Kang Mu-hyuk's claims, the situation at the site was not controlled at all, and people testified that lives were actually in danger. There was also opinion that it was a reckless act that completely disregarded the safety of civilians, including the broadcast crew. 

An unidentified witness even described Kang Mu-hyuk as a delusional narcissist, claiming he was obsessed with heroism. Baseless and harsh criticisms followed, saying things like he had gone mad or that wearing sunglasses was just an attempt to look cool.

As the political diversion gained momentum, the National Assembly began to take action.

<Iron Will Guild Captain Kang Mu-hyuk summoned for a parliamentary hearing.>

They summoned Kang Mu-hyuk for a closed-door hearing under the 'Monster Security Act.' If he refused, they expressed their intent to forcefully bring him in, citing legal provisions.

But--

<Kang Mu-hyuk refuses the closed-door hearing.>

<Civil groups demand transparency in Hunter-related cases. Monster hearings should no longer be held behind closed doors.> 

<Netizens say if the National Assembly has nothing to hide, they should hold a public hearing.> 

<Survey shows 75.8% in favor of a public hearing.>

Public opinion was not going the way the government and the National Assembly had hoped. They even tried to use police forces to bring Kang Mu-hyuk to the hearing, but with Iron Will Hunters on high alert in the middle of the battle in Cheongjin, this was no easy task. 

In the end, they considered sending agents from the Hunter Investigation Agency, but the agency's chief refused, stating their role was limited to catching villains. In the end, the Ministry of Justice had to interpret the provisions of the Guild Cooperation Act. 

When the Ministry pointed out the clause that requires the investigation agency to assist in summoning guild members who oppose the government during emergencies, the investigators finally took action.

Cheongjin City.

"You've grown bold, haven't you? What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Senior Jang. You're not going to get anything by pushing me like this..."

"So, what's your plan? Are you really going to take our Guild Leader?"

Jang Deukgoo stood in front of the room where Kang Mu-hyuk was, casually fiddling with the handle of his sword. The investigators flinched at his seemingly insignificant movement. In front of the legendary senior Hunter of the investigation agency, the investigators couldn't make a move.

"So, are you saying you'll cut us down, Jang Deukgoo?"

One investigator stepped forward from behind the others, who were frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Nah Sangmyun... You've been promoted to First Class, huh?"

Jang Deukgoo looked at the three-sword insignia on the collar of Nah Sangmyun's white armored coat. 

Investigator Nah Sangmyeon drew the sword from his waist. It was a long sword with an eye-catching handle.

"If you touch an investigator, you know you'll be sent to Ujungdo, right? Even if you've been out of the game for a while, you wouldn't have forgotten that."

"Even if I go to Ujungdo, it won't be because of you. I'll deal with you first, then turn myself in."

"Ooh, still as scary as ever. Alright, bring it on then."

Without hesitation, Jang Deukgoo drew his sword. Sangmyeon followed suit, unsheathing his weapon.

The other investigators backed away down the hall, not bothering to stop them.

"You're one to talk."

Neither of them was willing to back down, and the tension grew.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

"What are you guys doing? I'm ready."

"Already?"

Jang Deukgoo, who had been full of hostility moments ago, shrugged and put his sword away.

Na Sangmyun, still holding his weapon, frowned, confused by the sudden change.

"What are you playing at?"

Kang Mu-hyuk replied, "What do you mean? Aren't you here to take me?"

"..."

"Let's go. To the hearing."