Life Reversal With Random Skills - c6
Title: Life Reversal with Random Skills! Episode 6
Sizzle.
The red meat sizzled like the fresh lips of a newlywed bride.
Carefully watching to prevent the meat from burning, I picked up a piece.
“It’s beef after all, it cooks quickly. Please enjoy, boss.”
After placing a piece of meat on the boss’s plate, I raised the corners of my mouth in a smile.
“Why bother grilling it yourself when you have employees to do it for you?”
“Oh, is there a difference between having an employee grill it and me grilling it?”
“What’s the difference? It’s all the same.”
“No, there’s a difference. The meat I grill has something special in it.”
“What’s in it?”
“My love.”
“Hahaha, you scamp.”
The boss burst into laughter at my joke.
He used to say he had only grown older by age, not in spirit.
I’m not usually humorous, but making the boss chuckle always made me feel good.
So we enjoyed Hanwoo barbecue with a bottle of soju each.
The gradual rise of intoxication.
When the mood was getting pleasantly mellow, the boss spoke up while pouring himself a drink.
“Now tell me honestly. What do you really want to say?”
He spoke as if probing into my soul.
Sometimes it was frightening when he spoke so directly, making me wonder if he had mastered mind-reading or something.
“Boss.”
“Speak up. My ears aren’t clogged.”
“I… I want to quit the hotel job.”
“What? Isn’t it suited to your temperament? Are you getting tired of it after five years?”
“No, it’s not that. I find the work enjoyable. But before it’s too late, I want to try my hand at a new field.”
The atmosphere, previously filled with banter, turned somewhat serious.
Quitting the job I had been doing for five years was an important event for both me and the boss.
“A new field? What do you want to do?”
“I want to try working as a hunter.”
“Hunter? You mean catching those monster-like creatures?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you need some kind of awakening or something for that? It’s a job that requires some special abilities.”
I nodded in agreement.
It was the first time I revealed my awakening, so I felt somewhat nervous.
It was like confessing to winning the lottery jackpot.
But I didn’t regret it.
If it were anyone else, I might have doubted, but I could trust the boss.
“Is that so?”
The boss asked with a slightly surprised expression.
The CEO, who had experienced all sorts of storms in life, seemed indifferent to most things.
His awakening seemed surprisingly indifferent.
“Yes, I awakened not too long ago,” I replied to the CEO’s inquiry.
If he doubted, I was prepared to show my abilities. Of course, not here, but outside.
“Hmm, I see. You gotta do what you gotta do. It’s your life after all.”
“Thank you for allowing me, sir.”
“But Minwoo, can I make a proposal to you?”
“A proposal?”
I blinked at the word ‘proposal.’
What kind of proposal was he trying to make to someone who was quitting?
Curious, the CEO spoke to me.
“Would you even quit if I offered you a hotel?”
“A hotel… offered to me…?”
He’s offering a hotel.
Not just to manage it, but to own it entirely.
I blinked repeatedly in shock.
“Yeah. Quitting and all. I’ve been thinking of giving you a hotel for a while now.”
“To me? Why?”
“Why? Well, handling a hotel alone is tough for me. As you know, there’s hardly anyone I trust around me. There’s only my son living in Japan, but even they’re more interested in whether I’m dead or alive.”
I kept silent.
Indeed, there were hardly any trustworthy people around the CEO.
There were only hyenas eyeing his fortune.
Of course, the CEO had children, but they didn’t bother to visit him in Japan.
The CEO didn’t like that fact.
“True, but would it be okay to give someone like me a hotel?”
“What can’t be okay? Minwoo, you’re like my own son. No, more than a son.”
“Sir…”
I choked up.
My chest swelled as if tears were about to come out.
I was touched by the fact that he cherished me enough to give me a whole hotel.
“So, what do you say? Do you want to be a hotel owner instead of a manager? It’s up to you. It’s your life, after all.”
The CEO proposed to me.
To give me a hotel in my name.
So choose.
Whether to be a hotel owner or a hunter.
…
My heart wavered.
I’m thirty years old.
Becoming a hotel owner at such a young age was a tremendous thing.
For me, who grew up as an orphan, it was as if money had fallen from the sky.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t easily make a choice.
Someone might call me foolish if they saw me.
They might say it’s better to live comfortably as a hotel owner than to take on the risky job of a hunter.
I, too, thought somewhat along those lines.
The profit from our S Hotel alone would be at least 30 million won, excluding everything.
Thirty million won.
Being able to take that sum as my share was truly a remarkable thing.
Because I knew that so well at my age, I couldn’t easily make a decision.
In that way, I could also feel the CEO’s desire to keep me by his side.
“Sorry, sir.”
Yet, I declined the CEO’s offer.
“What? Don’t you like the hotel? Is it too small-scale for you?”
“No, sir. That’s not it. It’s an incredibly generous offer for me. It might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, even if I live for a lifetime.”
“But you said you won’t do it. I’m worried that I’m saying something to you, that’s why. Being a hunter, that’s extremely dangerous.”
“Yes, it’s dangerous.”
“But you’re willing to do that rather than taking a comfortable job. That piqued my curiosity.”
The CEO’s voice raised slightly.
But I knew he wasn’t scolding me.
He was speaking out of concern.
Being a hunter, it’s dangerous.
That’s why he wanted me to take his hotel and live comfortably.
He would take care of everything, so just live safely.
That’s what he was saying.
But my heart remained steadfast.
“Thank you for your offer. However, I can’t live like that.”
“What? Don’t you want my help? Or is it because you don’t want to stay by this old man’s side?”
“No, sir. I want to work under you for the rest of my life. It suits my temperament as well.”
“But you said you won’t take the hotel.”
“My life is something I want to build with my own hands.”
“With your own hands?”
“Yes. I’ve been alone since I was born. Given such fate, I can’t live comfortably with others’ help. Of course, I’m grateful for the job you gave me, but I can’t accept the hotel. That’s a reward beyond my efforts. So, I’ll respectfully decline your offer. I want to build my life with my own hands.”
I conveyed my firm determination.
The CEO remained silent, looking at me quietly.
A tense atmosphere filled the air.
I waited for the CEO’s words, even cautiously breathing.
That’s when it happened.
“Man.”
“Yes?”
“You’re a man. A real man.”
The CEO said, smiling slightly.
“Yes, you made the right choice. That’s the spirit, Haminwoo. That’s why I found you appealing. I brought you to my hotel because of that. Other guys’ lack of determination pleased me. Now, do well as a hunter or whatever it is. If it’s tough, you can always come back. I’m always here for you. Got it?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
“All right. Then, have a drink for the last time. You’ll be so busy catching monsters from now on that I won’t even see your tired face anymore.”
The CEO poured me a shot of soju.
I politely received the glass with both hands.
The glass filled with liquor.
With that glass, tears welled up in my eyes.
“Go out with a bang since you’re leaving. It’d be embarrassing to struggle with making a living.”
“Haha, yes. I’ll work hard to become the best.”
“All right. Forget about the old girlfriend and live a new life. Don’t cling like a barnacle. Got it?”
“Yes, I’ve forgotten everything. I’ll meet better women.”
“That’s right. You’re a good guy, so surely you’ll attract better women. A whole truckload of them. I guarantee it.”
The CEO smiled contentedly and raised his glass, saying,
“Anyway, congratulations. Do well from now on.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for everything. Take care of yourself.”
Our glasses clinked together.
It was the beginning of my life as a hunter.
* * *
Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul.
Before the world turned into a game, most of the people living in this neighborhood were conglomerate chaebol families.
There was no other way to become one of the richest people in South Korea.
But after the world turned into a game, a new force emerged in this upscale neighborhood.
Hunters.
Among them, the hunters of the guilds reigning over South Korea.
They earned vast sums of money and swiftly became the upper class of South Korea, entering Pyeongchang-dong.
Among them, the house of the number one guild in South Korea, the Yellow Dragon Guild, was particularly luxurious.
A mansion built in golden theme, just like the name ‘Yellow Dragon.’
It was the house where the guild leader of the Yellow Dragon Guild and his son, Hwang San-ha, lived.
And in one of the numerous bedrooms of that mansion, a woman lay down.
A woman partially covered by a blanket.
It was Son Da-yeon.
…
A spacious room like a sports field and a luxurious bedroom.
Despite enjoying such luxury, Son Da-yeon’s expression was somewhat downturned.
‘What should I do….’
Lying on her side, Son Da-yeon chewed her nails anxiously as she looked at her phone.
There were numerous unread messages and missed calls.
All from one person, ‘Ha Min-woo.’
Her ex-boyfriend.
‘I’m going crazy, seriously….’
A few days ago.
Son Da-yeon had drinks with her new boyfriend, Hwang San-ha.
After getting quite drunk, they chose a hotel to end their date.
Originally, they were supposed to go to a 5-star hotel in downtown Seoul.
But since they ended up at an old restaurant in a remote neighborhood, they had no choice but to go to a somewhat outdated hotel.
Fortunately, the newly built K Hotel had a clean exterior.
The moment they entered, Son Da-yeon was stunned beyond belief.
‘I never thought I’d meet Min-woo oppa there.’
The reason she was surprised was simple.
Her ex-boyfriend, Ha Min-woo, was standing at the hotel counter.
Why.
Why was Min-woo in that hotel?
It was a newly built hotel.
She deliberately avoided the hotel where Min-woo worked.
But why was he standing there?
Son Da-yeon resented everything.
Even herself for calling him ‘oppa’ in her surprise.
“Why did he have to blurt out that it’s been 100 days?”
It was still somewhat acceptable to witness the scene of a man entering a hotel with another woman.
After all, she could just pretend he was her boyfriend after they broke up.
But thanks to Hwang San-ha blurting out, “It’s been 100 days!” things took a turn.
It seemed like Ha Min-woo heard those words too.
And because of that, Son Da-yeon’s face turned red, and she began to stutter.
No matter how shamelessly she transferred to another man, she couldn’t help but feel guilty towards her ex-boyfriend of five years.
“What should I do? Should I apologize now?”
Son Da-yeon looked anxiously at her phone.
There were still hundreds of unread messages.
From what she glanced at in the previews, they were all messages containing apologies.
“I’m sorry, I’ll do better, please give me a chance, please contact me,” and so on.
Min-woo sent messages confessing his regrets and promising to change.
Yet Son Da-yeon ignored all those messages without reading them.
She had no intention of meeting him again.
It wasn’t because of Min-woo’s mistakes that they broke up.
The reason they broke up was simply that a better man had appeared in her life.
“Ugh, I don’t know.”
With her mind heating up, Son Da-yeon locked her phone screen.
The feeling of guilt still lingered.
But she decided not to apologize.
Because if she did, she would only feel like a terrible person.
It would be like admitting to doing something awful.
“Umm….”
That’s when it happened.
She heard murmuring from behind, then a huge hand reached out like a lid being lifted from a pot.
It was the thick hand of Hwang San-ha, the son of the Yellow Dragon Guild’s leader.
He massaged Son Da-yeon’s body indiscriminately, but she didn’t resist.
It wasn’t because she enjoyed the physical contact.
She didn’t want his rough touch.
No, she felt uncomfortable with it.
It was because she was worried that rejecting his touch would lead to rejection from Hwang San-ha.
“Are you awake? What’s wrong? Did you wake up early?”
Hwang San-ha, who was massaging her body, spoke.
He seemed fully awake.
“I woke up a while ago. Did you sleep well, oppa?”
“I slept well. I slept deeply without waking up once. Are you going to make me feel good again tonight? Hmm?”
“Oh, why are you like this in the morning? Gross.”
“Why? You enjoyed it too, didn’t you? Hehehe.”
Hwang San-ha’s large hand continued to roam all over Son Da-yeon’s body.
Son Da-yeon felt it.
That this wasn’t the touch of someone in love, but merely the gesture of a predator.
But still, the reason Son Da-yeon didn’t reject Hwang San-ha’s touch was simple.
She was afraid that rejecting the physical contact would lead to rejection from Hwang San-ha.
“I think it’s time to stop this now. It’s getting a bit too much, isn’t it?”
Son Da-yeon said, trying to sound firm.
But her voice wavered a little.
It was because she was afraid of what might happen if she pushed him away too forcefully.
However, she remained still.
“Let’s endure it. Just close your eyes and endure it. Then you can continue to enjoy this lifestyle. Maybe even get married?”
The reason why Son Da-yeon accepted Hwang San-ha’s lustful desires was simple.
It was to enjoy the wealth held by the son of the Yellow Dragon Guild’s leader.
The luxurious mansion in Pyeongchang-dong.
Luxury cars worth over 500 million won.
Meals costing over a million won each.
And even the people around her who flattered her as Hwang San-ha’s lover.
Son Da-yeon couldn’t give up this luxurious life.
“I love you, oppa.”
That’s why Son Da-yeon threw herself into Hwang San-ha’s embrace.
Even though she felt like bugs were crawling under her skin from his touch, she gritted her teeth and endured it.
Because she wanted to enjoy the luxurious life.
Because money was more important to her than love.
Smack.
So Son Da-yeon kissed Hwang San-ha.
Because compared to her ex-boyfriend Ha Min-woo, who wouldn’t even dream of waking up, Hwang San-ha, who would become the strongest hunter, was much more charming.
—
A week passed.
After completing the handover process to the new hotel owner, I finally submitted my resignation letter.
It felt bittersweet leaving the job I had worked for five years.
Honestly, the thought of the boss offering me the hotel crossed my mind from time to time.
But I didn’t waver in my decision.
I was going to become a hunter.
I was going to become an undeniable force as a hunter.
Even surpassing the son of the Yellow Dragon Guild’s leader, Hwang San-ha, and reaching heights that even he couldn’t see.
That’s why I made up my mind.
To make my ex-girlfriend Son Da-yeon regret it.
Thunk.
Getting out of the taxi, I looked up at the towering building in front of me.
The entire building was covered in floor-to-ceiling glass windows, exuding an immense grandeur just by looking at it.
“Is this the Hunter Association?”
The name of this place was the Hunter Association.
As its name suggested, it was an organization that managed hunters.
After the world turned into a game, this organization boasted greater power than any other institution such as the police or prosecution.
Today, I came here to obtain a hunter license.
To work as a hunter, I needed a hunter license issued by the Hunter Association.
Of course, obtaining a hunter license was not an easy task.
From what I had researched, the pass rate for the hunter qualification exam was abysmal.
In fact, it was only natural.
They couldn’t afford to pass just anyone for a job where lives were at stake.
“I’m sure I can pass.”
But I was confident in myself.
The basis of my confidence was my ‘S-rank skill.’
From what I found out, there were only ten people in the world with an S-rank skill.
And in Korea, there was only one, the leader of the Yellow Dragon Guild.
Even Hwang San-ha, who inherited his genes, didn’t have an S-rank skill.
That’s how rare an S-rank skill was.
Realizing this fact made me feel even more extraordinary about my abilities.
Even though I started from nothing, could I really be gifted with such fortune?
“Well then, shall we start?”
I walked into the Hunter Association building.
My future, like the ‘Random Skill Selection’ S-rank skill, depended on luck.
And I was going to test my luck from now on.