79 Chapter 78 (1/2)
The office of the President of the Hunters Association.
The facial expression of the doctor examining Goh Gun-Hui wasn't so good. He removed the stethoscope from Goh Gun-Hui's chest.
”….President.”
”No need to say it. I can already tell from the look on your face.”
Goh Gun-Hui chuckled gently as he buttoned up his shirt.
The doctor couldn't bring himself to say anything.
'President Goh Gun-Hui…. What with the state of your health, you walking around like this is a miracle in itself already…..'
Even then, the President of the Association did not show any signs of slowing down. He actually didn't even have the time to stop by at the hospital, and had his personal doctor come to see him at the office, instead!
”Actually….”
President Goh Gun-Hui slid his arm in the sleeve of the jacket and spoke.
”Back when the Healers began appearing here and there, and healing magic was discovered, I thought that for sure I'd be able to regain my youth, and that I would be saying bye bye to this terribly inconvenient old and decrepit body of mine.”
Goh Gun-Hui then chuckled again.
”However, the truth didn't work out that way.”
”There was no improvement from the treatment, sir?”
”It seems that this thing called 'age' is beyond the capability of the high-ranking Hunters and their magic.”
If the Healer-type Hunters could heal any and all types of sickness with magic, then without a doubt, every single hospital in the land would've closed up, and doctors would've ended up on the street, begging for food.
But fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, such an event didn't occur.
Only speeding up the regeneration.
The healing magic was limited only to healing the external injuries.
Although magic could miraculously cause the amputated arm to grow back, it could not lower the temperature of a child sick with the flu.
'Well, thanks to that, I managed to not end up as unemployed, though…..'
The doctor stared at the President of Association getting ready to leave the office.
'If only I could borrow magical power as great as the President's and cure him in full….'
However, both the healing magic and the modern medicine couldn't do much at this stage. All this doctor could do was to offer his advice.
”You need to maintain calm no matter what, sir. Also, you need to take a regular break, even if it's for a little while.”
”I wish I could do that, as well.”
Unfortunately, if he did take a break, then just what would happen to the Hunters Association? Goh Gun-Hui used his gentle laughter as a replacement for his words.
'An Association without Goh Gun-Hui, is it?'
The large Guilds were spending huge sums of money to grow ever larger even at this very moment. Their might already equalled that of some nations' military forces.
The only reason why the Association could still flex its muscle among these Guilds was because of the presence of Goh Gun-Hui as its President, not because the government was backing the Association.
The moment the Association lost its true trump card, the Hunters would become rein-less wild horses and run amok.
'Not just yet…. Yes, not just yet.'
Indeed, he couldn't retire just yet.
The Association was the only rope that could rein them in.
With no viable alternative in place, how could he even think about leaving the scene?
'In order to show how robust and healthy the Association is, I must stay.'
The rank S above all the other S ranks.
Indeed, the name of Goh Gun-Hui was a must-have.
So, until that time, he must….
”M-mm!”
A pained moan leaked out of Goh Gun-Hui. He grabbed his chest and the tidy shirt crumpled under his grip.
”President, take this….”
The doctor brought along a pill of painkiller and a glass of water.
”Thank you.”
He could just barely regain his bearings after ingesting the painkiller.
It was then.
'Mm?'
His phone issued a ring.
But, he ordered no one to disturb him when his doctor was here.
Goh Gun-Hui frowned slightly and picked the phone up.
”I'm with my doctor at the moment.”
It was at this point that the urgent voice of his male PA came from the phone's speaker.
”Apologies, President. But this news is too urgent, sir.”
”Did the Japanese call again?”
”They did, but this isn't because of that, sir.”
Goh Gun-Hui's brows quivered slightly.
'A bigger problem than the ants of the Jeju island?'
Just what could it be?
”Tell me what's going on.”
Before the patience of Goh Gun-Hui had the chance to run out, the PA replied in the nick of time.
”I just received a call from the Evaluation Division, sir.”
”From the Evaluation Division? Why?”
The role of the Evaluation Division was to assign ranks to various Gates as well as to newly Awakened. Such a department wouldn't be a likely candidate to cause much trouble.
'Or, could it be….?'
Did they make another blunder with assigning a Gate's rank?
Thinking back to the debt he had to owe the White Tiger Guild not too long ago, Goh Gun-Hui's expression crumpled a little. But his unhappiness lasted only for a short while.
The news conveyed by the PA easily exceeded the scope of 'problem' Goh Gun-Hui had been expecting.
”Just now, the Evaluation Division had…. an Awakened who couldn't be measured appeared, sir.”
”The President of the Hunters Association, Goh Gun-Hui??”
Did I hear that right?
Jin-Woo doubted his own hearing just then.
A man often referred to as the most powerful Hunter in South Korea wanted to talk to him and chased him all the way to this hospital??
'That must be some kind of joke….'
Just as Jin-Woo stood there not wholly convinced, Woo Jin-Cheol pointed behind him, further driving the point home.
”Yes, the Association President is here.”
Woo Jin-Cheol looked a bit anxious as he waited for Jin-Woo's reply.
The current atmosphere definitely didn't come off as suitable for throwing around dumb jokes at all.
'…..He must be telling the truth.'
Why was someone like Goh Gun-Hui looking for him? A powerful curiosity suddenly invaded Jin-Woo's mind. The only thing he could think of was the result of the rank reassignment test he took…..
'Is it to lure me into signing with the Association?'
However, the Association was a non-profit organisation. Its President wouldn't necessarily show up with the top agent from the Monitoring Division in tow just to headhunt a lone Hunter.
Besides, Jin-Woo hadn't even finished with his evaluation yet.
The more he thought about it, the more curious he became regarding the President's reasons.
”Okay, I will.”
Jin-Woo finally agreed.
Woo Jin-Cheol formed such a bright expression that the anxiety of a second ago seemed like a lie long forgotten.
”Thank you very much!!”
His voice sounded incredibly earnest just then.
'This ahjussi with that stonewall of a face can also form such expressions, huh.'
Jin-Woo was inwardly surprised as he followed after Woo Jin-Cheol.
When they walked past the corner, he could see an old man sitting in one of the waiting room's chairs.
'So, that must be….'
Jin-Woo swallowed his saliva.
The heaven above heaven.
The S rank Hunter Goh Gun-Hui, also known as the sky above the sky.
After discovering Jin-Woo, Goh Gun-Hui stood up from the seat.
”You must be Seong Jin-Woo Hunter-nim.”
He might be over 80 years old, but his physique was still quite amazing. Indeed, his size reminded one of either a retired pro wrestler or a traditional grappler.
However, he didn't emit any of the overbearing aura one might expect from someone like that.
'That's surprising.'
Judged from his appearance or his station, Jin-Woo expected him to be a bit of douche, a stuck-up of sorts, yet the entourage accompanying that man carried scarier expressions instead.