Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant

Chapter 41

– ……So, you’re telling me the Sealed Gate has been cleared?

“Yes, that’s correct.”

– The Swamp of Despair? As in the Swamp of Despair?

“Yes, that Swamp of Despair.”

– The one said to be more dangerous than the Nameless Sword?

“Yes, that’s right.”

– Hah…….”

Guild Master Bae Dong-hyuk couldn’t help but laugh at the report from Park Gu-wan, the Head of Public Relations.

He took the receiver away from his ear, leaned back in his chair, and murmured to himself.

“This is just ridiculous……”

Ahn Suho.

Bae knew he was an extraordinary person, but this was beyond anything he could have imagined—no, beyond imagination itself.

Seeing the verification photo sent by Park Gu-wan, Bae couldn’t help but surrender completely.

He began to wonder if this man was far too immense a presence for his Nexus to contain.

From the other end of the speaker, Park Gu-wan asked,

– What should we do?”

Bae Dong-hyuk took a deep breath before replying.

“Compile the data and stand by. I’ll give the order directly when the timing is right.”

– Understood, sir.”

After the call ended, Kim Lee-gang, the Administrator, entered the Guild Master’s office with news.

“Sir, did you hear about it?”

“If you’re talking about Hunter Ahn Suho’s Swamp of Despair conquest, yes, I just heard.”

“Yes, it’s about that. I came here quickly because there’s something I’d like to discuss.”

“Discuss? What do you want to discuss?”

Kim Lee-gang looked highly excited.

Though he had risen to Nexus’s top administrative position at a young age, he was one of the sharpest minds in the guild.

And he absolutely didn’t want to miss an opportunity like this—or rather, an opportunity like Ahn Suho.

After all, Ahn Suho, whom they had under contract, was essentially on borrowed time, with a term set to expire at the end of the year.

With sparkling eyes, Kim Lee-gang said,

“Hunter Ahn Suho is leaving at the end of the year anyway, so why not make the most of it before he’s gone?”

“Make the most of it?”

“We have a few events lined up, right? Let’s move up the schedule and complete everything before he leaves. And let’s start producing merchandise as well.”

“Merchandise production? Already?”

“One look at this, and you’ll understand.”

Kim Lee-gang showed him Nexus’s official social media accounts.

There were countless comments and direct messages, like……

– Aren’t they going to release some Sword God merch?

– Please make Ahn Suho merch!

– I want an Ahn Suho photocard!

– Make a Sword God keychain!

– What is Nexus doing?!

– You should row the boat while the tide is high!

– This is why it’s essential to have a good agency…

– Release a figure too!

Bae Dong-hyuk looked in shock and asked,

“What is this……?”

“This is the current public opinion about Hunter Ahn Suho. Not long ago, people were criticizing him for joining Nexus. But now that he’s taken on a second Sealed Gate, they’ve become avid fans. And didn’t he just conquer the Swamp of Despair? From now on, as long as Hunter Ahn Suho doesn’t cause any trouble, his fanbase will remain solid. Solid as concrete.”

“A solid fanbase…… Does that mean that finally, in Nexus, we also have……?”

“Yes, we finally have a ‘star player’ like the ones Hexagon and Prime have.”

“……!”

Bae Dong-hyuk’s eyes widened as he listened to Kim Lee-gang’s confident words.

A star player!

After the emergence of Awakened Beings and the world’s gradual shift toward stability, society became more passionate about players than about sports stars or celebrities.

With their rarity as Awakened, coupled with the fantastic abilities of skills and items, players provided spectacles far more thrilling than sports or games.

In that sense, Nexus had been lacking an influencer who could be called a true star player.

Or rather, to be more precise, Nexus didn’t have any “surviving star players” up until now.

A star player had to display exceptional talents as a hunter, but above all, they needed to survive to be of any significance.

But if Ahn Suho, who had managed to conquer two Sealed Gates solo, could continue……

‘There’s potential here……!’

A strong possibility he could survive, too!

This was more important than anything.

After all, to create a star or any commercial value, the person had to stay alive.

Seeing Bae Dong-hyuk’s gaze brighten, Kim Lee-gang added in a gentle tone,

“It may sound a bit harsh, but looking at this from a guild’s perspective, the merchandise business is essentially just a flash in the pan, right?”

“Isn’t that so?”

“We can’t overlook the possibility that Hunter Ahn Suho might not make it to the end of the year. So we should quickly start crafting a business model.”

As an administrator managing the guild’s finances, this was somewhat blunt yet entirely reasonable from a capitalist perspective.

Nexus, as a guild, was essentially like a company, so maximizing profit was imperative.

Bae Dong-hyuk nodded and said,

“Good, let’s proceed right away.”

“Thank you.”

Kim Lee-gang left the Guild Master’s office with a cheerful expression, and just then, Bae Dong-hyuk’s phone rang.

An unfamiliar number.

What could it be?

When he answered, a familiar voice spoke from the other end.

– Hello, is this Nexus Guild Master Bae Dong-hyuk?

“Yes, that’s me. May I ask who’s calling?”

– Ah, I’m Jang Kyunghwan, the President of the Korean Hunter Association. Nice to meet you.

“Ah! So it’s the President!”

At the mention of the Association President, Bae Dong-hyuk’s eyes widened.

But why was this man calling him?

They didn’t really have any reason to be in contact.

Then, President Jang Kyunghwan chuckled and asked,

– Do you have a moment? I have something rather important to discuss with you.

So suddenly?

Bae Dong-hyuk’s eyes narrowed.

Why would the Association President suddenly want to meet him?

But the reason quickly became clear.

If someone who had never paid Nexus any attention suddenly called to chat, there could only be one reason.

‘It must be about Hunter Ahn Suho.’

If it was about Hunter Ahn Suho, everything would make sense.

News of the Sealed Gate conquest likely reached the Association or the military faster than it did to Nexus.

And with the year-end recruitment exam already arranged, it seemed most likely they wanted to discuss that matter.

‘Since he cleared two Sealed Gates, it looks like the Association’s stance has shifted.’

If that was the case, then it was only right to make their own preparations.

‘We can’t disobey the Association anyway.’

So, for now, they needed to build a solid connection with the Korean Hunter Association as long as Ahn Suho was part of Nexus.

Even if Hunter Ahn Suho eventually left, Nexus needed to continue progressing.

Bae Dong-hyuk responded with enthusiasm.

“Ah, yes, of course. Would you like me to come to the Association?”

– That would be great.

“Yes, I’ll be right over. But, sir, I’m in an external meeting at the moment. If you’re available, how about we meet for dinner? I’ll arrange a good place.”

– Shall we? Haha, then let’s have a light meal. I’ll be waiting.

“Yes, I’ll contact you shortly.”

And with that, the call ended.

As soon as he hung up, Bae Dong-hyuk immediately summoned Administrator Kim Lee-gang.

***

On his way back to Seoul after clearing the Swamp of Despair, Suho received a call from Bae Dong-hyuk.

“Yes, yes, yes, understood. I’ll do that.”

As he ended the call, Jo Jin-hwi, who was driving next to him, asked,

“What was that about?”

“The President of the Korean Hunter Association has asked to meet with our Guild Master.”

“President Jang Kyunghwan? Ah, I guess it makes sense; he’s a former politician, so he sure knows how to take care of his interests.”

“Exactly. They’re meeting tonight, and I’ve been asked to accompany him.”

Jo Jin-hwi, who understood the situation well, needed no further explanation.

But then, an idea struck him, and he tilted his head thoughtfully.

“Isn’t that Bae Dong-hyuk’s call?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Interesting. Nexus is in a subordinate position with the Association, so Bae would usually be the one going in a submissive role, yet he’s asking you to join.”

Hmm.

It did seem strange, in a way.

Usually, people didn’t want to show their weaker side to others.

Especially if it was someone important to them.

Understanding Jo Jin-hwi’s observation, Suho chuckled and replied,

“Well, Bae is the Guildmaster of one of the top three guilds in the industry. He wouldn’t invite me without a reason—he likely has some plan in mind.”

“True…… I’m curious to see what kind of conversation unfolds. But for a meeting like that, shouldn’t you also come prepared?”

“I have a few ideas. I’ll fill you in afterward. I’ll make sure it’s clear what can be shared as news.”

“You’re thorough as always, sir. But aren’t you being overly considerate?”

“We live together, and you even drive me; this much is only natural. By the way, do you mind if I adjust the GPS? It looks like we should go directly to the restaurant.”

“Oh, of course. Which restaurant?”

“It’s called ‘Damhwa,’ a Korean restaurant in Apgujeong.”

“Oh, Damhwa is great. They have a grilled pork dish that I highly recommend. Try it if you can. It’s one of my personal favorites.”

“Sounds good. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I keep meaning to have a meal with you, sir, but somehow our schedules just don’t align.”

“Haha, well, a meal is easy enough to arrange. Let’s make it happen soon.”

“Perfect. If you check my blog, you’ll see that I write about restaurants as a hobby…… I’ll take you to a great place sometime.”

“Haha, I look forward to it.”

With that, the two continued chatting about food all the way to Damhwa.

Finally, when they arrived, Jo Jin-hwi spoke.

“We’ve arrived, sir.”

“Thank you for the ride. Are you headed directly to the station?”

“Yes, I’m planning to post the Swamp of Despair story as soon as we get the go-ahead. Of course, I’ll confirm with Nexus beforehand.”

“Meticulous as always. Let’s meet again soon. And let’s make sure we have that meal.”

“Definitely. Take care, sir!”

With a soft hum, Jo Jin-hwi’s car pulled away from Damhwa.

Once Jo Jin-hwi was completely out of sight, Suho raised the corner of his mouth slightly as he looked at the Ring of Emotions.

‘He’s certainly a lively one.’

The reason he kept the conversation going all the way here was clear.

It was to collect positive energy, the White, from Jo Jin-hwi.

Fortunately, Jo Jin-hwi was a very positive person, and through their conversation, Suho was able to maximize the White energy collected.

‘Well then, let’s go inside.’

Suho entered Damhwa.