Chapter 310
Article 3, Clause 2 of the “Special Act on Monopoly Regulation and Fissure Utilization” (Prohibition of Abuse of Dominant Position) stated the following:
All individuals must utilize Fissures peacefully and fairly. No one may exercise monopolistic rights without the approval of the bureau responsible for managing said Fissures. Particularly, it is prohibited to unjustly interfere with others’ use of Fissures.
Cheol-Soo’s expression was grim as he read the legislation on the Ministry of Government Legislation’s website. Logging into the Fissure management system, he accessed the entry records of the C-rank orc Fissure in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu. The records showed numerous Hunters entering the Fissure, only to leave shortly after—a suspicious pattern.
“Chief, what should we have for lunch today?” Hyuk-Soo asked.
“Huh? O-oh, you guys decide. I’m fine with anything. I’m going to step out for some air.”
Cheol-Soo closed his laptop and stood up. His face looked pale, and his hand trembled as he retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his suit pocket. His demeanor as he left the office was noticeably different from usual.
After a moment of thought, Hyuk-Soo got up from his desk and then quickly followed him, calling out to Do-Jun as he passed, “I’ll be right back, Do-Jun. Something seems off about our chief.”
“Understood.”
As the door closed, Do-Jun approached Cheol-Soo’s desk and opened his laptop. The Fissure Management System interface appeared, showing the recent entry logs of the C-rank orc Fissure in Banpo-dong. He slowly scrolled through the most recent records.
***
Cheol-Soo smoked a cigarette on the rooftop of Seoul City Hall, trying to steady his trembling hands as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. His mind drifted back to the previous week when he visited Banpo-dong to investigate a reported “workshop” suspected of illegal activities.
Initially, he had no particular thoughts on the matter and saw it just as another routine enforcement task. If the report was accurate and there really was an illegal workshop, he would issue a warning, and if they refused to comply, he would impose a fine or file a legal complaint. The operation was run by Shark Guild, a fairly well-known B-rank guild.