Zero Point

#017

“Are there firearms as well?”

Lee Eunseok asked in an excited voice.

“Of course. Those are all made from gate byproducts too.”

Before Choi Hanseo finished his answer, Lee Eunseok quickly walked towards the firearms display. Standing in front of it, he let out a short exclamation filled with delight.

The various firearms, at least in appearance, weren’t much different from what Lee Eunseok had handled before. He picked up each one, from handguns to automatic rifles and long guns, checking if there were any differences in usage. Certainly, as they were man-made weapons, the structure and operating mechanism of the guns weren’t much different.

Unlike the bladed weapons, the firearms display had a few bullets of matching caliber exhibited together. As he picked up and examined a few types of bullets, he noticed a common feature.

“They’re all hollow-point rounds.”

Hollow-point bullets were strictly prohibited for military use worldwide due to their excessively cruel lethality.

“These firearms aren’t meant to be used against humans, so there’s no legal issue. Of course, since the bullets are also made from gate byproducts, even though they’re hollow-point, there’s almost no reduction in penetration power. They’re sufficient for dealing with monsters.”

In the case of hollow-point bullets, while they have lethal destructive power, they have somewhat lower penetration. But to think they’ve even compensated for the penetration power…

“That’s impressive.”

Lee Eunseok loaded a bullet into a handgun, then turned and aimed directly at Choi Hanseo’s forehead as he asked,

“How would this fare against an S-rank hunter, rather than a mutant or strange creature?”

As he asked challengingly, Choi Hanseo tilted his head slightly to the side, maintaining his relaxed posture with one hand in his pocket. Far from being displeased, he looked rather amused.

“What do you think?”

“I expect it would work quite well, since ability users are also a type of mutant life form.”

“Do you want to try shooting?”

“I’d like to check its performance.”

Saying that, Lee Eunseok lowered the gun barrel he had been aiming at Choi Hanseo. Then he skillfully removed the bullet and put it back in its place.

Weapons always perform best in combat when one is familiar with them. Lee Eunseok chose one handgun that seemed suitable for field use instead of a large-caliber handgun with considerable weight and high recoil, another small-caliber handgun as a backup, and one automatic rifle. He also gathered several boxes of ammunition neatly stacked under the display.

Before he knew it, his arms were full of daggers, three guns, and ammunition boxes. Lee Eunseok decided not to be greedy today. He hadn’t experienced the inside of a gate yet. He planned to supplement with weapons he deemed necessary after experiencing actual combat once.

When he looked at Choi Hanseo to indicate he was done choosing, Choi turned and started walking in the opposite direction. Following him, this time there were various types of armor on display.

This time, instead of telling Lee Eunseok to choose, Choi Hanseo scanned the display and picked out a few items, draping them over Lee Eunseok’s arms and shoulders.

While he would wear them when necessary, Lee Eunseok generally didn’t like body armor that hindered agile movement. Those only prevent injuries from becoming fatal. Whether it’s a gun or a knife, if you’re hit properly, you’re incapacitated all the same. Therefore, he believed the best defense was offense.

“Unlike combat for ordinary people, in battles inside gates, avoiding fatal wounds is most important. Since there’s a healer anyway, if you just avoid fatal wounds, you can be healed to a level where you can quickly recover your fighting strength.”

Choi Hanseo spoke as if he had read Lee Eunseok’s thoughts.

Ah, right. There was Ji Taeuk, the healing hunter.

Lee Eunseok inwardly nodded, finally remembering the existence of the healer. Unlike the battles he had experienced so far, if he could just avoid fatal wounds, he could receive treatment from the healer and return to combat immediately. Only then did Lee Eunseok carefully examine the armor pieces Choi Hanseo had chosen for him.

“This should be enough for now. Do you need anything else?”

Choi Hanseo asked. Lee Eunseok’s arms and shoulders were already piled high with weapons and armor.

“No, I don’t.”

Lee Eunseok shook his head as he answered. Then he tried to estimate the total price of the weapons and armor he was holding. One dagger was five thousand. The guns and bullets would be much more expensive, and the armor would be the same. Roughly guessing, wouldn’t it be about a billion won?

Lee Eunseok worried whether his annual salary of tens of billions would be enough to cover these weapons and armor. Weapons could be damaged or lost during combat, and bullets were consumables that needed constant replenishment.

“…Is there perhaps a guild member discount?”

Lee Eunseok asked as he followed Choi Hanseo out of the weapons display room. The shoulders of Choi Hanseo, walking ahead, shook slightly. Though no sound came out, he had clearly burst into laughter.

“The prices written there already include the guild member discount.”

Choi Hanseo answered with a voice full of amusement.

Damn it.

Lee Eunseok could only curse inwardly.

“If you’re short on money, feel free to say so, Mr. Lee Eunseok.”

“If I do, will you give me a special bonus?”

Lee Eunseok asked with a disgruntled face. Even in that stingy military, weapons were provided by the country. But having to bear the cost of weapons and armor themselves? It was not a welcome situation at all. Of course, he had no intention whatsoever of joining the Ability Management Bureau, which provided equipment for free, but still.

“Rather than that, I can find you other ways to make money.”

“I thought freelance mercenary activities were not allowed during an exclusive contract.”

“Is combat all that’s in your head, Mr. Lee Eunseok?”

“It’s all I know how to do.”

When Lee Eunseok answered, Choi Hanseo suddenly stopped walking. He turned and stared at Lee Eunseok’s face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

As Lee Eunseok asked with an unimpressed look, Choi Hanseo scanned his face up and down, then let out a light sigh. Suddenly, he raised his hand and grabbed Lee Eunseok’s chin. Normally, he would have immediately swatted that hand away, but his hands were already full with the weapons and armor.

Lee Eunseok frowned deeply to express his displeasure. Choi Hanseo, disregarding this, turned Lee Eunseok’s face this way and that. It was like he was examining a piece of art, turning it around to appreciate it.

“What are you going to do with a face like this? You should use it to make money.”

“I’m feeling very uncomfortable right now.”

“An S-rank guide, only four in the whole world. With looks like this on top of that, you could make as much money as you want if you just desired it.”

Having said that, Choi Hanseo finally removed his hand from Lee Eunseok’s chin. Then he said,

“Anyway, now that you’ve signed a contract and started activities with our guild, your personal information can no longer remain confidential. Your face is going to be exposed to the media anyway, so why not make some money with it?”

Lee Eunseok furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes.

Make money with his face? What on earth was he talking about?

“As it is, interview requests and advertising offers for you are pouring in. I’ll tell Secretary Kim, so pick something you like.”

“You want me to do interviews and advertisements?”

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“I don’t.”

When Lee Eunseok answered sharply, Choi Hanseo casually said,

“They’ll pay a lot.”

At those words, images of the incredibly expensive weapons and armor flashed through Lee Eunseok’s mind. He also recalled the estimated prices of the items heavily weighing on his arms and shoulders.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Choi Hanseo smiled slightly at the immediately changed attitude. Lee Eunseok was starting to get genuinely annoyed by this man who kept cleverly provoking him.

Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!

The feeling in his hand each time he pulled the trigger was excellent.

After consuming all the bullets in the magazine, Eunseok put down the handgun.

When he pressed a button, the target hanging far away slid towards him. A tight group of bullet holes had formed in the center of the target paper. It seemed his skills hadn’t rusted despite not holding a gun for a while.

Fortunately, the handgun made from gate byproducts had the same structure and usage as ordinary firearms. The recoil was certainly a bit stronger, but it was manageable enough to adapt to.

This should be sufficiently usable in actual combat.

Lee Eunseok took off his noise-canceling earmuffs with satisfaction and hung them back in place.

Clap, clap, clap.

Applause sounded from behind.

Already sensing someone standing behind him, Eunseok turned around without showing any surprise. Unexpectedly, the person standing a little distance away was Secretary Kim in formal attire.

“As expected of someone from a special forces background.”

Secretary Kim praised with a slight smile.

“Am I late?”

Lee Eunseok checked his watch, which he had forgotten to look at while absorbed in shooting. He was indeed 20 minutes past the appointed time.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I got carried away… Why did you come in person instead of calling me on the watch?”

Lee Eunseok, who could hardly remember ever being late for an appointment, said with an apologetic expression.

“No, it’s fine. I heard you were practicing shooting, so I wanted to see for myself. Thanks to that, I got to witness your excellent marksmanship.”

Secretary Kim said casually. In her hands were thick stacks of paper that looked like various documents.

“Then shall we go up to your lodgings to start our discussion, Guide Lee?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Lee Eunseok hurriedly answered and packed the two handguns and the automatic rifle into a duffel bag. After zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder, Secretary Kim started walking ahead.