WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Gate Summoner Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 29: Sees Something Disturbing(?). Returns Home.
──────
Kang Yul stopped what he was doing and checked the Gallery inbox.
If it was a reply about the proper conditions for waking the roots, it was worth dropping everything to read it.
With slightly trembling hands, Kang Yul opened the Gallery app and tapped [Inbox (1)] under My Info.
The moment he checked its contents, he had no choice but to doubt his own eyes.
───
[Title: Answer to Your Inquiry]
[Friendly Merchant*]
Regular Customer.
Regarding your question, “Tree with a Thousand Roots - ■■■■.”
Regrettably, we do not know much about it in detail.
We do not have enough information necessary for your question.
Therefore, giving you an accurate answer is difficult it is.
“...?”
While reading the message, Kang Yul had to check several times whether the sender was really [Friendly Merchant].
The clumsy writing was like something run through a cheap translator, but more importantly, the answer to his most important question had ended with, “We don't know much either.”
That was enough to make Kang Yul deny reality.
‘Friendly Merchant... I trusted you...’
Someone once said this.
When your expectations were betrayed, you felt exactly twice as empty as the amount you had hoped.
And when that emptiness faded, you felt more than twice that amount of anger.
So Kang Yul was feeling exactly four times the anger of his expectations, but.
(More)
The moment he spotted the (More) button at the bottom of the message, his anger turned to curiosity, and he tapped it as if possessed.
The moment he saw it, he did wonder, What is this...?
But he did not hesitate.
Kang Yul, whose fourfold anger had become curiosity, could see nothing else right now.
The contents hidden behind (More) were....
⚠This information may not be factual it is⚠
Regarding the information provided by Regular Customer: “It has been asleep after ceasing activity for a long time.”
We analyzed small records of beings similar to the “tree with many roots” that we contacted in the past.
And we found out it is!
Most such beings. Even if they stop moving for a very long time, there is no problem.
There were cases where they began moving again when supplied with a sufficient amount of “liquid brimming with life force.”
There are many records of this being used as a method to end their sleeping state.
As for what liquid this refers to, we believe Regular Customer can think of it without difficulty.
Please prepare a sufficient amount that is not small it is.
...Friendly Merchant was telling Kang Yul this.
Though the contents behind (More) were not verified information, they were the closest thing to the truth, assembled by carefully sifting through similar cases.
Therefore.
‘Liquid brimming with life force...’
Kang Yul mulled over the high-quality information Friendly Merchant had given him and began considering what that liquid could be.
He decided not to think, I can't trust Friendly Merchant.
He had once received the answer, “Smear blood on amber,” when asking how to wake the Worm, and it had proven correct. There was no reason not to trust Friendly Merchant.
Then, at that moment.
‘Wait, smear blood on it?’
A thought flashed through Kang Yul’s mind.
What if the liquid brimming with life force meant blood?
‘Then it matches the message, too.’
He had already done it once.
That also carried a similar nuance to, “Regular Customer can think of it without difficulty,” so it connected quite naturally with the message.
Which meant.
‘In the end, I have to smear blood on it like I did with the Worm...’
...The problem was the final line.
Please prepare a sufficient amount that is not small it is.
He had no idea how much that “not-small amount” was.
Kang Yul could only hope it would not exceed the maximum amount a person could donate at once.
#####
As he mulled over the information Friendly Merchant had provided and once again vowed to send a 5,700-character message overflowing with gratitude once he got home.
(❗❗❗Must See❗❗❗)
“?”
Kang Yul suddenly noticed the (Must See) button at the very bottom of the (More) contents. Once again, he tapped it as if possessed.
Additional! Regular Customer!
We earnestly ask that, if possible, you do not directly send us photographs and names of such beings in the future!
Directly seeing photographs and names of such beings becomes too dangerous for us!
If possible, it is good not to let us know them directly it is.
Even if our merchant association possesses only a very small amount of information, it is sufficiently possible for us to find the information Regular Customer wants!
Therefore, there is no problem even without photographs and names.
Please keep these matters in mind it is.
BY Friendly Merchant.
───
‘I don't really know why, but they seem pretty angry...’
...In the end, Kang Yul put away his smartphone, thinking, I shouldn't send a message after all.
Now did not seem like a good time to send a long thank-you message.
Anyway.
He had checked everything urgent.
He was just about to head home for the Worm, who must have been waiting anxiously, when.
[Current Time: 12:16 a.m.]
‘Should I ask the team leaders whether I can donate some blood for a moment?’
He needed to feed blood to the sleeping tree to wake it. This time, it was obvious that a slight scrape like the one with the Worm would not be enough.
So he decided to abuse the power of public authority, namely the Representative Hunters, to have blood drawn in advance through the safest method with the least injury.
He looked around to find Team Leader Myo and Team Leader Oh, who should have come out with him.
Murmur, murmur...!
Whisper, whisper...!
Among the Management Bureau staff from Nowon District who had been waiting at [Ssangmun Station] and were now hurrying about, Kang Yul spotted several higher-ranking employees gathered in conversation.
Thinking the team leaders would be there, Kang Yul headed over.
Before long, he found both team leaders, just as he expected, but.
“...?”
Amazingly, what the two team leaders were wearing far exceeded anything Kang Yul had expected.
After all.
“Here are notes containing information about that Gate.”
“There is this much verified material...?”
“What on earth happened inside...?”
“This is an urgent situation, so I will not take questions. First, transfer that information into the document you are writing.”
“Understood!”
Team Leader Myo was hard at work in a yellow cheerleader outfit.
At the same time, her subordinates stood with their hands politely clasped behind their backs, staring only at the floor in desperate determination not to ask or look at her outfit.
When he turned his head slightly.
“Team Leader Oh. This armored corpse is...?”
“Oh, that? I got it as a clear reward from this Gate.”
“It doesn't seem human.”
“Was it a humanoid supernatural life-form you dealt with in this Gate?”
“I don't know the details either. I just received a passenger who had become lost property as a reward. Anyway, we'll perform the contract ritual as soon as we return, so contact them and have everything prepared in advance.”
“Understood.”
Team Leader Oh, wearing what appeared to be the same yellow cheerleader outfit, was directing the Hunters of Dobong District.
Incidentally, her subordinates were also staring at the floor without making any mention whatsoever of her outfit, just like Team Leader Myo’s staff.
“....”
After silently taking in the scene, Kang Yul naturally raised the yellow cheering stick in one hand and thought.
‘Thank goodness it's a cheering stick...!’
Kang Yul in a cheerleader outfit would have been a supply nobody demanded, after all.
#####
Kang Yul did briefly consider simply going home after finding the team leaders in their yellow cheerleader outfits.
But he needed blood no matter what, so he closed his eyes, decided to use the thick-skinned skill he had learned at the orphanage, and approached Team Leader Myo to make his request.
And so, in the end.
“Does the Ssangmun branch have a blood collection machine?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Bring it.”
“Understood!”
In exchange for abusing the power of public authority, one innocent employee had to come running with sweat pouring down their face, carrying the blood collection machine on their back.
They also had to handle drawing blood from Kang Yul, the culprit behind all this.
“I’m sorry. You have to go through all this because of me...”
Unable to meet the employee’s eyes, Kang Yul lowered his head and apologized in a shrinking voice.
He had tried to be shameless, but there were limits.
He felt truly sorry for making someone go through such trouble in the middle of the night because of one thing he had said.
...But unexpectedly.
“No, no, Hunter Kang Yul. There’s no need to apologize to me.”
The employee smiled brightly, as though it really was nothing to worry about.
Of course, Kang Yul knew that was a well-meaning lie born of professional courtesy, so he could not lift his head until the blood draw was over.
But after seeing Kang Yul like that, the employee looked around before handing him the blood pack and speaking in a low voice.
“To be honest, Hunter Kang Yul, you saved my life.”
“Pardon?”
As Kang Yul accepted the blood pack in surprise, the employee gave a faint smile and explained.
“Think about it, Hunter Kang Yul. Gritting your teeth and pretending not to notice anything in front of the team leaders dressed like that, versus bringing over the blood collection machine right here. Which would you rather do?”
“...!”
Only then did Kang Yul understand what the employee meant.
Watching Kang Yul’s expression change, the employee held out a hand and introduced themself.
“My name is Hwang Taehoon. I’ll never forget the debt I owe Hunter Kang Yul for saving me today.”
“It wasn’t that serious...”
“You only say that because you don't know those two! Just being near them makes our knees shake. Are they emotionless psychopaths or something? Even if they saw us wet ourselves, they wouldn't so much as flinch...!”
“...? Then what did I save you from?”
“My trousers, obviously. I was called in suddenly today, so I forgot to put it on before coming. But thanks to you, my trousers survived.”
“Ah.”
Afterward, Employee Hwang Taehoon grabbed both of Kang Yul’s hands as if snatching them and shook them vigorously, thanking him over and over.
With that warm welcome from the employee, Kang Yul headed home first.
Incidentally, at that time.
“Team Leaders, my friend is waiting for me. Would it be alright if I left first?”
“Friend? ...Ah! Y-Yeah, yeah! Go! Hurry!”
“I will assign a Management Bureau employee to ensure your quick return.”
“That’s good! Hey! Somebody take our rookie home! As fast as possible! And be as polite as possible!”
At a single mention that his friend, the Worm, was waiting, the two team leaders trembled and had a Management Bureau employee take Kang Yul home.
Kang Yul did not know how the scene became so distorted, but afterward, the Management Bureau employees of Nowon District began calling him an “old-hand rookie” in admiration of his accomplishments.
Of course.
“Worm! I’m back!”
Wriggle-!
﹝Special Characteristics﹞
: It feels a deep fondness for you!
: It feels joy that you have returned safely!
Kang Yul himself knew nothing about it.
Footnotes:
“Old-hand rookie” renders a gamer slang nickname for a newcomer who seems suspiciously veteran-level.
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
