Chapter 39

Chapter 39
## Chapter 39: The Reach of the Candy Lady

The hunters working under the banner of Espree Company were currently in a state of high agitation.

“This isn’t just any freelancer calling for aid—it’s the Candy Lady herself.”

The request had come directly from Lee Se-eun. Among their circles, ignoring such a summons was unthinkable. It wasn’t that they were terrified of her combat prowess, though that was formidable.

It was a matter of genuine devotion.

“She has conquered more than five Rank-1 Erosion Cores by her own hand. To deny her help without a damn good reason…”

“What’s wrong with you people? Are you planning to spill your own blood just because she asked, you idiots?”

Robert Denu, a Partner Hunter for Espree, snapped at them, his voice thick with annoyance.

“She is just a single hunter at the end of the day. If that woman demanded your internal organs, would you just hand them over?”

“If it were Hunter Lee Se-eun asking… I would be ready to do exactly that.”

Robert’s expression soured instantly at that confession.

“Absolute morons.”

The hunter who had spoken felt the blood rush to his face at Robert’s insult.

“I’m finished with this. I’d rather cough up the contract termination penalty and walk away from Espree right now.”

Robert blinked, staring at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“You total loser. That woman is nothing more than another Partner Hunter living off of her next commission.”

The mood in the room curdled the second the words left Robert’s mouth. Two specific things had crossed a line for the gathered men:

The disrespectful slur he used, and his attempt to categorize her as just another face in the crowd.

Sensing the sudden, sharp shift in the air, Robert began to fidget.

“What is this, you punks? You looking for a fight?!”

He didn’t have to wait long for his answer. As if moving with a single mind, every hunter in the vicinity gripped their weapons.

“…”

This wasn’t merely a contest of physical power. To be precise, there were nine other hunters globally who ranked above her in raw strength. Yet, the name Lee Se-eun—the Candy Lady—carried a spiritual significance that transcended rankings.

“If it weren’t for the systems the Candy Lady put in place, I would never have qualified to be a hunter.”

“My mother’s life-saving surgery was funded by her foundation.”

“When I was bleeding out in an Erosion Core, she was the one who advocated for us. I’d be a corpse if she hadn’t stepped in.”

To Robert, Lee Se-eun was just a high-tier combatant, but he was missing the bigger picture.

There might be nine individuals with higher stats, but there wasn’t a soul who looked after the rank-and-file hunters the way she did.

That was the root of Robert’s mistake. A person’s true worth isn’t dictated by their destructive output alone.

Power that can shatter peaks and divide the ocean might command fear, but it doesn’t inspire loyalty. Lee Se-eun possessed that world-shaking power… but she also had the heart that made people want to stand beside her.

“You’re going to apologize for those insults, and then you’re going to fulfill her request.”

Lee Se-eun remained completely unaware of Robert’s petty comments. He opened his mouth to shout back, but the sheer wall of murderous intent radiating from the hunters silenced him.

“You’ll regret this… I’ll make sure you all pay for this disrespect.”

“That’s a small price for staying alive. Either I leave Espree, or you’re out. I’m taking my resignation straight to the 1st Team Leader.”

“Count me in.”

More than fifty hunters raised their voices in unison. If a group that large abandoned Espree, the firm would effectively cease to exist.

Robert felt the world spin. He had made a fatal error. He had targeted the one hunter who was off-limits. She wasn’t the strongest, but with the exception of the legendary, undefeated number one, she was the most revered hunter on the planet.

He had known she was popular, but he had fooled himself into thinking a man of his standing could undermine her.

—

The locomotive cutting through the Siberian wilderness fended off a barrage of creature assaults under Lee Se-eun’s leadership, making steady progress toward the European border.

Our goal was Warsaw, the heart of Poland.

The plan was a three-day layover. We needed to provide intensive medical care for those wounded on the journey and distribute the humanitarian aid earmarked for the region.

“The Mazurka warlord and their associated hunter firms have given us their word that they will cooperate.”

“Well, that’s one headache out of the way.”

Lee Se-eun gave a small, weary nod of relief. Nobody in the room looked shocked; they had anticipated this level of compliance.

“What about the logistics of the transport? Have any of the other warlords besides Mazurka checked in?”

“Nothing yet… they are still playing hard to get with their replies.”

Lee Se-eun made a clicking sound with her tongue and brushed her hair back. She was clearly displeased, though she wasn’t ready to force their hand just yet.

“Nothing for it then. Keep the lines open. We’ll be stationed in Warsaw for several days regardless.”

Not long after the briefing ended, the rhythm of the train shifted as it slowed. At long last, after days of being cooped up, we were permitted to disembark.

However, the panorama waiting for us outside was far from welcoming.

“This is no way for humans to live.”

Poland had once been the crown jewel of Eastern Europe after Russia—blessed with fertile plains, immense mineral wealth, and a solid industrial base until the fall of the Soviet Union.

It was a land famed for its soaring ancient cathedrals and the melodic legacy of Chopin.

Now? It was a hollowed-out monument to misery.

I saw a small child trying to nurse from its deceased mother. A shadow of a person crept out, checked the coast was clear, and then snatched the toddler away from the body before disappearing into the gloom.

There wasn’t a green leaf or a tree in sight—every scrap of vegetation had been harvested. The parts you could eat were gone, and the rest had been used as fuel for warmth.

“You are Yoo Chan-seok, correct?”

The moment I stepped onto the platform, a man moved through the crowd to meet me.

“Lieutenant Jozef Polanski, representing Mazurka.”

He was decked out in a military kit. Mazurka was the name of the warlord faction that held the reigns over Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania.

“I was told you’d be around for three days. You’re the freelancer who’s been causing quite a stir back in Korea.”

He had the look of a middle-aged man who had just stepped out of a private VIP lounge. It felt strange—why was he staring at me with such hunger in his eyes?

The motive was transparent. Since I wasn’t tied to an agency, he saw a golden opportunity to dazzle me and secure a contract.

“The buildings and roads in Poland might be a century behind Korea… but we offer a different kind of power here.”

“Power, you say.”

Jozef gave a firm nod at my remark.

“In this place, we are the law. I’ve heard that hunters in Korea are bogged down by rules and public relations… We don’t have those problems.”

“So you’re saying I can do as I please without any oversight?”

He gave his mustache a thoughtful stroke and nodded.

“As long as you fulfill your contractual duties. Mazurka’s social benefits might not match Korea’s… but we operate within our own legal framework.”

Legalized exploitation. What a dark joke.

As we spoke, I followed Jozef to a waiting vehicle—a stretched limousine, of all things.

Inside, there was champagne on ice. The contrast was nauseating. Thousands were starving just outside the tinted glass, while luxury sat waiting inside.

“What’s that you’ve got?”

“Just a newspaper I picked up off the pavement.”

I fell into a silent reading of the paper. It was clearly filtered through Mazurka’s propaganda machine, but the employment section usually told the real story.

For Men: Heavy labor in mines or farms. Payment: housing, basic rations, and 760 won per day. The quality of the food was left unsaid.

For Women: Must have a clean appearance, age limit of 29. Potential for triple pay.

The specific duties weren’t listed. They didn’t have to be.

“Finished with that?”

I balled up the paper and tossed it aside. Jozef looked over at me.

“Yeah.”

We pulled up to our destination. Stepping out, I scrutinized the structure in front of us.

It looked decent enough, but by my standards, it resembled a budget motel in a rough neighborhood.

“It’s humble, but it’s one of our premier locations.”

As Jozef had noted, the local infrastructure was in shambles.

“I just need a place to sleep. I’m not picky.”

Having a roof was a luxury in itself. I had survived 35 years without a single modern amenity—I could handle this. It wasn’t enjoyable, but it was familiar.

“Is my autonomy guaranteed while I’m here?”

Jozef snapped his fingers and pulled a document from his coat.

“This is your transit permit. Show this, and no one from Mazurka will get in your way.”

“And if I run into trouble?”

“The same rule applies. We won’t interfere.”

Meaning I would have to clean up my own messes.

“Works for me.”

With a quick salute, Lieutenant Jozef departed. The suite contained a large bed, a desk, and a bathroom equipped with a tub and toilet.

There were even enough supplies to last three days comfortably.

“Are you planning to just stay in your room?”

It was Ja Su-jeong. I pulled the door open.

“Wow, Hunter Yoo Chan-seok is getting the VIP treatment.”

She looked genuinely impressed by the room.

“Is it really that much better than yours?”

She let out a short laugh. “Haha, you have no idea. My floor has communal bathrooms. And the showers…”

She described a setup involving black tarps outdoors and a single pipe hanging from the ceiling.

“The cold water is manageable, but if you don’t let it run for two minutes, you’re basically bathing in rust.”

That sounded grim. At least there were no water restrictions.

“I assume Hunter Lee Se-eun has even better accommodations.”

“She’s staying at the restored Warsaw Royal Palace over on Zamkowy Square. It’s close by.”

She gave me a playful, sidelong look before asking:

“Would you mind if I used your shower?”

“Go ahead. We’re past the point of being formal.”

A shower is only as good as the water temperature. She started unpacking her gear with a grin—she had clearly intended to ask this from the start.

“Much appreciated. I can’t pay you, but… feel free to ask me anything you want to know.”

I gestured toward the pile of rations in the room.

“Everything here is produced in Korea.”

She nodded knowingly. “Aha.”

“That’s official Korean government policy.”

She gave a quick rundown of the situation. Korea makes it a priority to import resources from every corner of the globe for its own use.

“Minerals, fuels, grains, livestock, produce… they take the lion’s share of everything.”

They keep the best for themselves and export whatever is left over.

“It’s amazing other nations tolerate it.”

“If you get on Korea’s bad side, they pull their hunter support.”

The vast majority of hunter corporations are headquartered in Korea.

“Except for the absolute giants like Zanabi or Taebaek, everyone has to stay in Korea’s good graces.”

If they don’t, they get blacklisted. The gap between the powerful and the weak only grows, and those at the bottom wither away.

“No other country can match the volume or quality of Korean aid… and hunters won’t work for agencies that aren’t based there.”

If the aid stops, the talent leaves. Some hunters would rather retire than be forced out of the Korean system.

“You can’t even run a farm or a mine without hunters to guard against monsters.”

To stay alive, you have to play by Korea’s rules, even if they feel like a shakedown.