Solo Leveling: Ragnarok - Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Back then, our entire Facade Republic was at risk of becoming a giant gate.
The speech of the president of Facade republic spread to the citizens that had to take refuge outside of the island through the news.
-But citizens of Facade Republic! you may now rest assured. The ice age is now over!
The moment that Itharim’s apostle got defeated, the countless gates in Facade started to close rapidly.
Thanks to that, the coldness seeping through the holes also vanished.
To decrease the area of field typed dungeons.
-The ice age is over!
Per the speech, Facade was now safe.
Now, that didn’t mean that all the gates were closed.
Just one.
One gate still remained despite the dimension settling down.
In order to get the gate closed, all the monsters of the glacier dungeon had to be eliminated.
But since Suho bought the rights to that specific dungeon, unless his permission was given, no one would be able to set foot within it.
Which meant that the glacier dungeons would become an autonomous land for the ice elves.
But this would instill fear to the citizens of Facade.
Since the opened dungeons were akin to a ticking time bomb.
Which is why the existence of the scavenger guild was needed.
United State’s top guild, the scavenger guild had announced that they’ll keep guard of the glacier dungeon while mining.
Thus, all the citizens who sought asylum could come back safely.
-I’d like to express my gratitude to the scavenger guild on behalf of all citizens for saving our republic.
[Kieeek! How ignorant!]
Beru continued to grind its teeth the entire way to the airport, displeased by the president’s speech.
[Truly! Just how rude can they be?!]
[I agree master. Expressing gratitude to the undeserving! They don’t even know who deserves all the thanks!]
“That was the contract to begin with. And this works better for us anyways.”
Suho let out a laugh seeing Beru and Qwei getting angry together despite knowing the contents of the contract.
Scavenger guild made the public announcement that they managed to finish the glacier dungeon so with this, they should be able to reap all the sweet intangible benefits.
Per Laura’s plans, while the scavenger guild took on all the side tasks related to the glacier dungeon, they in turn got to increase the value of their brand.
And on the other hand, the decisive factor in clearing the glacier dungeon, Cha Haein and Suho, who got the exclusive rights to the dungeon was completely concealed.
And this was all because they themselves requested it.
Both of them were not for attracting the attention of strangers, and there was a need for it as well.
“Don’t complain too much. It’s all so that if there’s another Itharim’s Apostle, their attention would fall on the scavenger guild instead of you all”
Thomas Andre, who came out to the airport to see Suho off, smiled while consoling Beru and Qwei.
And spoke while pointing at Suho with his thumb.
“Leave it to me. Until this kid is as strong as his father, I’ll be sure to shield him properly. I shamelessly caused trouble this time, but I used to be the strongest tanker of humanity.”
Since Thomas Andre had a history of facing the strongest monster named the red dragon Kamish empty handed, his title of humanity’s best tanker was not at all lacking to describe him.
[Humanity’s strongest, my ass.]
[Make sure you don’t get lured again.]
“Haa? These brats? I can’t even save face? Do shadow soldiers have no respect for the elders?”
Thomas Andre snickered at Beru and Qwei’s unfiltered retorts.
And
“Suho.”
Thomas’s large and calloused hands were extended for a handshake.
“Thank you.”
Suho felt the boundless emotions condensed into those short words and looked up towards his face.
A relieved expression was on the white haired man.
It was the expression of a man who has decided on the direction of their path after completing a lifelong mission.
Suho let out a laugh and held that large hand.
“Yes. Likewise.”
Suho was rather surprised at just how hard the hand was.
The thick calluses spoke of just how brutal training and life this man has gone through. A medal of honor.
And at the same time, these hardened skin was a well polished weapon used to hold onto the opponent and grasp the weapon.
But that was not the reason why Suho was surprised.
‘Father’s hands…… were like this too.’
Rather, it was even worse than this.
In contrast, Suho looked towards his own hands that still had its softness.
Laura readjusted her glasses while talking to Suho.
“Hunter Sung Suho. I encourage you to establish a guild as soon as possible when you return to Korea.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Please. Again, our contract is one between two guilds. Our contract will only work properly after you establish an official guild.
By law, exclusive rights to the dungeons could not be purchased by an individual.
For now, the scavenger guild took care of it temporarily, but until Suho creates a guild, they’d be in a difficult situation.
“I heard that Korean guilds need at least 20 dungeon clears to be established. If there’s anything we can do to help in that aspect…….”
“Ah, no need to worry about that. I have a plan for that.”
“……?”
Laura looked at Suho with a puzzled look until she remembered a piece of information.
A rarely used method, but among the Korean guild establishment requirements existed a different way to replace the dungeon experiences.
“Are you planning on going villain hunting instead?”
“You got it right.”
Laura was even more puzzled at Suho’s answer.
“Wouldn’t that take even longer? It’s not like villains with enough bounty are just going to be walking around in broad daylight…….”
“Ah, actually… There have been quite a few lately.”
“……?”

»»————-　★　————-««
Finally back in Korea.
The moment Suho set foot outside of Yoo Jinho’s helicopter, he noticed the difference of Korean atmosphere.
-The next news is of Jisan Prison.
The airport was full of screens filled with the newscaster reporting the breaking news with a serious expression.
-Jisan Prison is a villain specific facility created by the hunter association two years ago, created under Chairman Woo Jinchul’s villain countermeasure plans…….
“Sigh, the entire country is unsettled because of that news.”
Yoo Jinho clicked his tongue while walking next to Suho.
Korea has been renowned for their public safety.
It was thanks to the villain countermeasure plans created by Woo Jinchul chairman right after establishing the hunters association. And one of its prime examples was the ‘Jisan Prison’.
“You might not know since you’re not that interested in these things, but Jisan Prison was never for villains specifically.”
Yoo Jinho had to be sensitive towards all things happening around the world due to his position of being a representative of a huge company.
So he also knew the beginning stages of Jisan Prison.
“Our prison system is ranked from S1 to S5 depending on the danger ranking. Jisan Prison was a prison for criminals of S5 ranking, ones with the most severe sentencing.”
“So it was never a prison only for the villains.”
“Correct. But miraculously, all the criminals sent to that prison by Chairman Woo Jinchul started to awaken inside their cells.”
Everyone considered it to be a mere coincidence at first.
Since criminals could also awaken.
But the awakenings of the prisoners continued to overtake most of the people within Jisan Prison.
“There were tons of rumors back then. The prison was built on cursed land, or the prison had a secret to awaken normal citizens…….”
To the point that criminals who wanted to awaken would volunteer and plead to be locked away at Jisan Prison.
But after the criminals who got sent in during the beginning stages of the cataclysm awakened, all the other criminals that got locked in afterwards never awakened despite waiting countless years.
They ended up being locked away amongst vicious villains after trying to awaken.
After that humorless story spread, people started to believe that it was chairman Woo Jinchul who had a skill to know who would awaken instead of the prison being built on a special land.
“Who would’ve thought that he knew who would become one all this time?”
Yoo Jinho laughed while muttering out loud.
A small amount of research would easily confirm that those who awakened as hunters in the nonexistent timeline also awakened as hunters in this timeline.
Furthermore, proving it would be even easier since all the S ranked hunters awakened as S ranked hunters and vice versa.
So Chairman Woo Jinchul would separate criminals who would later awaken as hunters to lock up in Jisan Prison.
In order to be able to properly take care of them in the case they awakened in the future.
“The issue is that Woo Jinchul can not analyze the exact details of the criminal’s abilities.”
The result of that issue was that.
-Two days ago, the awakened criminals who bombed the Jisan Prison and escaped are still at large.
-The association has officially declared them as villains, and is seeking emergency cooperation from all the hunters within the country…….
“……who would’ve thought that all the villains of Jisan Prison would make a run for it.”
“Perhaps the information that the chairman went on a volunteering trip to North Korea got leaked. They must’ve thought that this was their chance since it’s not just the chairman who went, but also the S ranked hunter of the association.”
The prison was always tight in security and information transfer. However, with no definitive data on the specific abilities of the villains, there could’ve been a method to acquire information.
So if with that method, the villains got the information that the chairman and the S ranked hunter are unavailable.
Then this was precisely the best chance the villains had to make their escape.
“That’s what we have analyzed as well, Hunter Sung Jinho.”
A familiar voice suddenly came from his back.
When Suho and Yoo Jinho turned backwards, The team leader of the association, Han Jaehyuk, came out to greet Suho.
“I’m glad you returned safely.”
Han Jaehyuk let out a sigh of relief right after seeing Suho.
Lately, more and more overseas guilds have been recruiting people with potential.
After seeing Suho getting kidnapped(?) by Thomas Andre right in front of his eyes, he was afraid that Suho would be recruited into the Scavenger Guild.
It was a bitter feeling for him as a team leader.
Especially after seeing Suho fight against Thomas Andre at equal strength, even more so. Losing such talent to the US would’ve been the most bitter thing he’s ever tasted.
‘The scavenger guild must’ve offered him an insane deal, but he returned after rejecting such a deal.’
Team leader Han Jaehyuk expressed his gratitude at Suho’s misunderstood patriotism.
“You made it in time.”
“Of course I should. Since it’s you who volunteered to be the bounty hunter at this age and time.”
Han Jaehyuk expressed a relieved face.
The TV continued its report on Jisan Prison.
-The instigator of this great escape has been revealed to be a C ranked villain named ‘Hwang Dongsuk’ and he is currently…….
“So.”
Suho, who had the news behind him to stare at Han Jaehyuk. His eyes already became that of a hunter looking at his prey.
“How many do I have to catch to become the guild leader?”