“Kekeke...”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Just moments ago, I was irritated at the thought of Chae Soo-hyun joining our guild, but not anymore.

Thinking through why she was acting like this, my perspective had shifted entirely.

‘Something’s definitely wrong, right?’

I was certain of it. When I considered the situation with both Chae Soo-hyun and Lee Jin-hyuk, it was clear that something was off between them.

‘The real question is, why come to the Blue Guild? Could it be that she still has feelings for me? Seriously?’

I couldn’t be sure of her true intentions. She seemed to want to return to me, but...

Whether it was genuine regret or if she was just testing the waters, I couldn’t tell.

‘If she’s sincere...’

Well, that would actually work out nicely for me.

“What’s going on with Baekho Guild these days? No spies or anything over there?”

I asked Hyung-seok.

“Hm. I’ve heard some things, but I’m not sure how reliable they are.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I heard that Chae Soo-hyun and Lee Jin-hyuk haven’t been getting along.”

“Why? All of a sudden?”

“Word is, Chae Soo-hyun hasn’t participated in any hunter activities for almost a month, except for her broadcasting work. It’s said that Lee Jin-hyuk was furious. He had some big plans, but Chae Soo-hyun was completely uncooperative.”

“Ahh...”

I let out a small chuckle. It made sense. I knew exactly why she wasn’t doing anything.

‘She must’ve realized she’s stuck as an E-rank hunter, unable to do anything. She can’t hunt, can’t go on missions... nothing.’

I was beginning to understand.

‘She must’ve realized how powerless she is and now she’s trying to cling to me. That’s the vibe I’m getting.’

My mood was improving rapidly. It felt like I was finally getting some payback for everything she had put me through.

“And...?”

“Well, it’s not confirmed, but I’ve heard that Baekho Guild is looking for other hunters to replace her.”

“Other hunters?”

“Yeah, they’re looking to recruit another S-rank hunter to take her place. Apparently, Lee Jin-hyuk has always gotten his way, but now that he’s not, he’s really upset.”

“Ahh.”

It was all starting to make sense.

Chae Soo-hyun had always been stubborn, and of course, Lee Jin-hyuk was no different.

Being born into a chaebol family, he was used to getting whatever he wanted, so it made sense that he would clash with someone like Chae Soo-hyun.

‘So, Chae Soo-hyun is getting abandoned, huh...?’

I was piecing it together quickly now. It seemed like she was collapsing from within.

‘You’ve got nothing left, do you?’

The only thing Chae Soo-hyun had left was her title as the former number one S-rank hunter. After losing that title to Lee Su-ah, there was no way to regain her standing.

On top of that, the only thing she had left going for her was her affiliation with Baekho Guild, but she was now willing to throw that away.

It was a risky move on her part.

And yet, for her to be making such a drastic decision meant she must’ve been feeling pretty desperate.

‘Fine. Come on. Join the Blue Guild. It wouldn’t be so bad to have you watch how well I’m doing right in front of your eyes.’

My mood was improving by the minute. When Chief Cha first mentioned Chae Soo-hyun’s transfer, I thought it was a ridiculous idea. But now, it felt like she was voluntarily walking into a trap.

“Well, this is great.”

“Huh? What’s great?”

“Chae Soo-hyun joining the Blue Guild.”

“Hyung, how is that great? Chae Soo-hyun used you and dumped you. Why would it be a good thing for her to come to our guild? Ugh.”

Hyung-seok looked at me like I was crazy. Well, he didn’t know what I was thinking yet.

“Just wait. Now, I’ll have the chance to make her pay.”

“Huh...?”

Hyung-seok still didn’t get it.

“You want to join our Blue Guild?”

The voice of the Blue Guild’s guild master, hidden in the shadows, was serious. There was a hint of satisfaction, though it was well-hidden.

“Yes, I’d like to transfer to the Blue Guild.”

Chae Soo-hyun’s voice was calm and composed. She had the attitude of someone who had already made up her mind.

“May I ask why?”

The guild master sounded genuinely curious. And he wasn’t the only one.

Everyone would be curious, given that Baekho Guild had publicly announced Chae Soo-hyun’s recruitment so enthusiastically. It had been splashed across broadcasts, to the point where the whole nation knew. And now, after only a month, she was seeking to transfer again—a rare situation.

Not to mention, S-rank hunters flocking to Blue Guild wasn’t exactly normal.

“I believe the Blue Guild has far more potential. I spent some time at Baekho Guild, and it’s a mess. I was deeply disappointed. I have no further business with Baekho Guild.”

Her voice dripped with bitterness, as though she held a grudge against Baekho Guild.

“Won’t Baekho Guild have something to say about this? We’ve already been heavily criticized by other guilds because of the S-rank hunters who’ve transferred here. We managed to weather the storm, but Baekho Guild is a major player. Their involvement might cause even more trouble for us.”

The guild master was cautious. He was being careful, especially after the recent wave of S-rank hunters transferring, which had stirred up a lot of controversy.

Whenever they attended guild meetings, the amount of criticism was overwhelming.

If Baekho Guild were to join in the backlash, Blue Guild might find itself isolated.

“I don’t think Baekho Guild will care much. From what I can tell, they’ve already started looking for a replacement S-rank hunter. Seo Ji-soo, to be specific.”

“What?”

The guild master’s voice betrayed a hint of surprise.

“I believe Baekho Guild is already prepared to move on without me. I’m just following their lead and leaving first. And anyway, Baekho Guild never liked Blue Guild to begin with, so I doubt much will change. They won’t consider me a loss.”

Chae Soo-hyun spoke with certainty. She knew exactly where she stood with Baekho Guild.

“Very well. We’ll accept your transfer to Blue Guild. Welcome.”

“Hey, Hyung-seok.”

“Yes?”

“I think we’re going to be pretty busy soon.”

“Why?”

“Now that Chae Soo-hyun is joining our guild, and since there’s no way the guild master will turn her down, I’m planning to really rub it in her face.”

“How?”

“What pisses people off the most? Seeing someone doing well and making a ton of money, right?”

“Yeah, probably?”

“So starting today, I’m going to rake in every S-rank item I can get my hands on.”

My plan was to make a ridiculous amount of money in a short period of time. I’d already experienced success at the auction house, so my confidence was sky-high.

And then, I’d make sure Chae Soo-hyun saw it. She’d be furious.

‘Time to give her a taste of her own medicine, right, Chae Soo-hyun?’

This situation had taken a turn I hadn’t expected, but that didn’t matter.

“Hyung, I’ll start putting together a list. There are some items that can go for insanely high prices.”

“Good.”

“What the heck!!!”

Lee Su-ah and Yoo Ha-na shot to their feet. They had just heard the rumors about Chae Soo-hyun.

“Hmm... It seems like everyone’s flocking to Blue Guild these days...”

Lee Ye-ji muttered quietly.

“Wait, Ye-ji, is it true? Is Hunter Chae Soo-hyun really transferring to Blue Guild?”

“Mhm.”

“Why!?!”

Lee Su-ah was clearly irritated. It felt like the competition was getting more intense by the day.

And it wasn’t just anyone—Chae Soo-hyun was the only S-rank hunter who had ever defeated her. The threat that she might retake the top spot was very real.

‘What is going on? Hunter Chae Soo-hyun... Is she targeting Ji-hoon?’

Lee Su-ah recalled the time she ran into Chae Soo-hyun in front of Baek Ji-hoon’s house. There had been something strange about the encounter.

It felt as if Chae Soo-hyun and Baek Ji-hoon already knew each other.

‘Could it be? Was she trying to lure Ji-hoon to Baekho Guild, but then ended up joining Blue Guild herself?’

She was dying to know the truth behind this bizarre situation. But there was no one she could ask for a straight answer, and that frustrated her.

“Su-ah... What do we do? Ji-hoon is dating E-seul, and now even Chae Soo-hyun... Ha...”

Yoo Ha-na put her hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh.

“I seriously don’t know what’s going on anymore.”

Naturally, Lee Su-ah looked equally frustrated.

“Wait... Why are you so upset?”

Hunter Lee Ye-ji asked with a puzzled expression.

“Ha... I want to get closer to Ji-hoon, but the competition keeps piling up. Ugh...”

Lee Su-ah no longer seemed to care about hiding her feelings.