The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

The next day at 2:40 p.m. It was time for me, who hung a sign for preparing ingredients, to cut the time to boil the broth and clean the store.

A man in a suit approached the store and knocked on the iron door. I can’t believe he knocked even though I hung a sign saying I’m preparing the ingredients. I fixed the broom I was holding, but there was a voice that suddenly passed through my head.

“I’ll send someone over tomorrow.”

I loosened my grip on the broom and opened the door. The man in sunglasses bowed his head in greetings.

“Hello, nice to meet you. Are you Cha Ui-jae?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Hello, I’m Very Small Miracle. I was sent to you by guild leader Lee Sa-young.”

Very Small Miracle. It was such a long and strange name that it stuck in my mind clearly, even though I’d only seen it in a flash on Hunter Channel 1. However, it was not polite to say that his name was strange from the beginning, so I also bowed my head.

“Hello.”

“Yes, please take my business card first.”

Min-ki held out his business card politely with both hands. I held a broom on my side and politely picked up a small rectangular piece of paper. Pado Guild Combat Support Team 1, Very Small Miracle.

“I’ll be taking you through the ability measurement and registration process today, please excuse me.”

Very Small Miracle took out a tablet from his inventory and showed the screen.

‘Give me a low rank!’

Along with the background image of a bomb exploding, the title written in red archery caught the eye. My expression when I saw the bizarre design template became strange, but Very Small Miracle has a very serious face.

“I’ve been told that your goal is to be as inconspicuous as possible, and to get a low rating. Is that correct?”

“…….”

“Oh, it’s okay if you don’t answer verbally, you just need to fill out this survey.”

When Min-ki turned the screen, a survey item appeared. I started answering the survey with a tablet pen handed over by Min-ki.
(TL/N: Very Small Miracle is Seo Min-ki’s hunter name. If you guys forget who he is, he is the guy that has shadow skill, that was told to find Ui-jae’s information at the bureau by Lee Sa-young)

[1. What rank would you like to get when registering as a hunter? Please write on a scale from S to F]

It must be as lowly and common as possible. Since it was the condition he offered when accepting the deal with Lee Sa-young, i briefly agonized over it, tapping my mouth with the tip of a pen.

Considering the ability level of S-rank, which is his original rank, I thought that the gap was too large to receive in reality, and that there would be as much reason to explain as when I lived in hiding as a palate. It’s not a fluke for an F-rank man to beat up a monster with his bare hands.

I paused, my face serious.

E, D

[2. What is your rank in your system? If you don’t want to reveal your rank, please write it according to the following example. (F to C: weak. B to S: strong.)]

This is a thoughtful and sensitive entry. It was a question that fully grasped what the client wanted to obtain through rating manipulation. On the one hand, it was also surprising to the extent that I wondered if he had ever made such a transaction with anyone else.

Strong.

Without much hesitation, I wrote down my answer as per the example, and then glanced down to check the last question.

[3. Do you agree to use drugs and curses to manipulate ratings?]

Hold on. I think there are some weird questions mixed in? The next considerate question contained a toxin clause that could be contained in any physical waiver memorandum. As I dutifully filled out the form, I raised my hand and called out to Min-ki.

“Excuse me, Tiny Miracle Min-ki.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think question 3 is a little strange.”

“What? Wait a minute.”

Min-ki stretched out his head to check the screen and tilted his head.

“Question 3 is normal… Is there a problem?”

“It says you use drugs and curses, is that correct?”

“Yes. You have to bear that much to hide your ability.”

Is he a fraud? I prepared to hit Min-ki’s head with a tablet in any case. Min-ki asked while taking a step back.

“Sir, do you happen to know how to measure your abilities when registering as a hunter?”

I knew the measurement method eight years ago, but did not know the latest measurement method. The measurement method would have changed as the price of mana stone has risen. I shook my head, not bothering to pretend to know. Min-ki began to explain as if he had been waiting.

“Once you go to measure, you first fill out the documents by hand and measure your ability with a machine developed by the bureau. During the grading process, they even check your demonstration of representative skills.”

“…….”

“Well, for the handwritten part, you can mix in a bit of bullshit, and that’s encouraged. For the representative skill, you just need to demonstrate one skill. Neither of those are really important. The most important thing here is the measuring device.”

“Measuring device?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s quite accurate, so it’s harder to hide the rank from him than to deceive the public servant. But!”

Min-ki raised his index finger and said confidently.

“The device uses mana stone as an energy source. And it doesn’t respond to normal people, it only responds to the awakened, which is that it works according to the laws of the system, apart from the scientific common sense that we know.”

“…….”

“Then we can also deceive the machine according to the laws of the system. It’s using drugs or curses from dungeons that degrade the awakened.”

Min-ki looked proud as if his argument was good.

“Why… is it plausible?”

It was actually quite plausible. Most drugs or curses won’t even hurt my body much anyway, and it would just be a matter of closing my eyes. All I have is a strong body, so I should use it wisely.

I held the pen correctly as if possessed and wrote the answer to the last question.

[3. Do you agree to use drugs and curses to manipulate ratings?]
Yes

Min-ki, who took the tablet, said with a satisfied face.

“Now, then… Oh, by the way, did bring your ID card?”

Luckily, I had my resident’s card, which had been reissued after I came out of the rift. I pointed to the counter inside the store.

“It’s in my wallet.”

“Then take it and get in the car. Let’s get going quickly.”

What he was pointing at was a dirty blue car. It looked so weird in the alleyway that I couldn’t imagine it was the car he was driving. I alternately looked at Min-ki, dressed in neat suits, and a car covered with dust.

‘The Pado guild has no money.’

“You’re not under the illusion that our guild is poor, are you?”

Is mind reading one of his skills? I dodged his gazed and shook my head.

“I didn’t think of that.”

“Haha, I’m sure you didn’t think of that, but just for your information, this is a guild car that we use for undercover work.”

“Oh, really?”

“Why do you sound so soulless in your answer?”

After taking my wallet from the counter, I went into the kitchen and checked the boiling broth. I have to leave it for a little longer and remove the foam… I rubbed my chin and asked Min-ki who’s outside.

“How long does it take to register?”

“Well. No matter how long it takes, it won’t be more than an hour.”

I’ll just switch to low heat. The longer the broth boils, the deeper the flavor, so it shouldn’t be a problem as long as I’m there in good time. I skimmed off the foam with a knife and turned down the heat, then took off my apron and hung it on the wall.

After retrieving my wallet, I climbed into the passenger seat and Min-ki gestured for me to fasten my belt. Once he was sure I had fastened my belt, he started the car.

“We will not go to the official registration center at the Awakening Management Bureau, but to the temporary registration center in Gwangjin-gu. It’s fast, less eye-catching, and there’s no strong awakeners there.”

“Don’t they care more about the newer ones?”

“That was only when it was new, and the Gwangjin-gu Center has been opened for three months, so it’s a little looser. The main building will be finished soon, so it’ll be even looser.”

Min-ki glanced at me and pointed to the side of it with a slight jerk of his chin.

“Do you see the black box next to it?”

“Oh, yes.”

“There’s a pair of bracelets in there, would you like to try them on?”

What was in the box were two silver bracelets shaped like a snake with its tail in a circle. When I took out the bracelet, the information on the item came to me.

[Bridle of Uroboros (A)
When a person wears a pair of these, they place a curse of weakness on the wearer]

Was this the reason for putting drugs and curses in the survey items. I grabbed the curse item and said calmly.

“Weakening Curse… It’s an item.”

Min-ki nodded dutifully.

“Yes. If you want to reduce your rank, it’s fastest and easiest to wear an item with a Weakening Curse.”

“Can this curse be lifted?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, I’ve also brought along a curse-breaking scroll, and I’ll break it right after the measurement is done.”

The process of systematically lying was arduous. I wore both bracelets on my left wrist. My whole body became heavy as if I was wearing a sandbag around my left arm.

“How do you feel?”

“I definitely feel a little heavier. But…”

I touched the bracelet that clanked well on my wrist.

“If I cheat on my rating with something like this, won’t I get caught? I’m pretty sure they can catch me.”

Min-ki shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, that’s all right. They do check for worn items, but… it’s just something we do for existing hunters when they get re-tested.”

“…….”

“They don’t check items for newly awakened people. Where would someone who hasn’t even registered as a Hunter get items from? Unregistered people aren’t even allowed to use the Hunter Market. Besides,”

Min-ki said, making a leisurely left turn.

“Everyone wants to get a high rating, not a low rating.”

“…….”

“Oh, I’m not shooting at you.”

I glanced sideways at him for a moment, a little nervously, but quickly accepted that he wasn’t wrong. The bracelet around my wrist clinked and jiggled.