Chapter 89
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: 87. Songdo's Survivors
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Hunter Association
The S-rank hunter affiliated with the Hunter Association, Death Photographer Seo Ji-yeon, met a man who was dressed in rags like a beggar, his hair tied up in a topknot.
The man was Lee Heung-bu, a hunter from the Blue House.
Seo Ji-yeon's face twisted the moment she saw him.
Just how long is this guy going to stick with that broke-ass look? Furious, she forced herself to school her expression.
"Hey, old lady. How you doin'?"
"Hah, your speech sure has gone downhill since last time."
"Doesn't mean I gotta brace myself for this kinda treatment just 'cause I'm Ha Jung-seok's lapdog?"
Considering the bad blood with the hunters who'd been Ha Jung-seok's dogs in the past, this was practically going easy on him.
"Look, Ji-yeon. The president is still the head of state in this country. The Hunter Association can't just replace the government, can it?"
"Ugh! You call that thing sitting in the Blue House a president? What bullshit."
Lee Heung-bu shook his head at Seo Ji-yeon, who sneered, It's not a dog bastard?
"Sigh. What am I even doing arguing with a kid."
"I ain't exactly dying to chat more with you either, old man, so let's just decide on scouting routes."
"Fine. What'd the Divine Sword say?"
At his question, Seo Ji-yeon recalled what Yoo Jin-seok had said not long ago.
—Heung-bu would be fine if not for being Blue House-affiliated. The guy's got no flexibility. Better if you move solo.
—How?
—You can handle it alone anyway, right? Even when I went, Baekhwa had already cleared the surrounding areas.
—Sending a woman alone is too much, no?
—Don't say that, you're the Association's number two.
—Date me after it's over, then.
Even without Yoo Jin-seok's words, there was no reason to tell a Blue House guy. Heung-bu was a simple-minded hardliner anyway, so they'd never agree on scouting for Baekhwa.
Better to give a vague explanation.
"Estimated south from Incheon. But the magi density is too high to enter easily."
"Hmm. You said talk would work?"
"You planning to brute-force it like some ignorant old fart?"
"Monsters are always best met with force."
I knew it.
That's why he's just the president's dog—simple and brutish.
"Sigh. That's why everyone calls you old man. Such a boomer. Don't you get dialogue? Even Jin-seok, who could cut your brothers down in ten seconds, said try talking first."
Not meaning overpower, but negotiate.
"That guy's past his prime now."
"You're retired-age yourself, picking on a twenty-something? You'd starve your wife and kid to get strong, tsk tsk."
Seo Ji-yeon shrugged and clicked her tongue.
Heung-bu's ability was the 'Power of Poverty.'
The less he owned, the stronger he got—that was his unique power.
Back in his cadet days, he'd wandered around in just underwear, and against the worst enemies, he'd fought naked.
Got him labeled a pervert and dragged to the station more times than he could count. If his brother Nol-bu hadn't always bailed him out with money, he'd have been homeless ages ago.
Thanks to developing his ability further, he could now at least cover clothes with the compensation, but his wife and kids still lived poor because of it.
"Ahem! For the good of the country, it's unavoidable!"
"Ugh, cut the crap. How come every Blue House hunter is such a loser?"
Hunter Association hunters weren't as sleazy as the Blue House ones.
If not for Kim Jae-su's rebellion, the Association would still be thriving.
"What?"
"Did I say wrong? Even your boomer brother Nol-bu gets stronger the more he has with 'Power of Greed,' right?"
What a pair of brothers with their shitty abilities.
Seo Ji-yeon couldn't fathom how she'd ended up partnered with this guy.
"Fine, fine, you win. We'll talk it out, so ease up."
"Should've said that sooner. Anyway, we're watching the broadcast first, so keep that in mind."
Heung-bu, who'd been about to head out ignoring the Association, clicked his tongue at her snide remark.
Before the survivor broadcast, I took a moment to check on Songdo.
Songdo New City. Abandoned after the Great Cataclysm, it'd changed a lot since I took it over.
With Cheonsan Group's support and Lee Yoo-jeong's golems, we cleared rubble and built decent enough homes—not apartments, but livable.
Housed the survivors rescued from magi, and with Kate securing Cheonsan supplies, living was no issue.
"Maybe just show some plausible buildings that don't scream Songdo."
Show too many intact ones, and they'd guess it's Songdo. Can't have that.
Problem is, folks who'd dodged magi areas were fine, but those steeped in it were half-monster already.
Wonder how the media'll react on broadcast.
"Oh yeah, how's my community reacting?"
Hunter community loaded up, and sure enough, most posts were about me.
Like this. Clicked a random front-page thread.
Baekhwa tho, doesn't she make you wanna fuck her brains out?
Monsters and villain bitches always hotter than normie hunters or civvies, right?
Saw her fight Yoo Jin-seok, and holy shit, T-panties.
No gf huh? Simping over villain bitches now?
Honestly wanna raw dog her so bad.
Arrested at Baekhap Guild chick's home
Didn't you see her with Blazing Bat? Wears T-panties to seduce chicks anytime. Slutty bitch.
Desperate to get dicked by Ju-ji ㅅㅂ
Just skimming, it's this bad. And excluding that, tons more saying she's hotter as a monster, etc.
Pretty girls are justice in the end. Even as a monster, more sucking up than hate.
Come to think of it, fans made clubs for wanted women before if hot enough. Looks win all.
"Damn this face of mine, and T-panties? No-panties my ass."
I'm not always ready to fuck anywhere.
Left 'em off by the bath to fool Rachel into thinking I was late.
Not 'cause nun outfit's comfier sans panties or I love exposure. No way.
Proof: I'm wearing some now.
"Still, this is decent enough. Time to stir shit up?"
Today's for hyping survivors anyway, so hate my monster ass or jerk off, I don't care.
Baekhwa TV's purpose too.
Time to properly introduce villain Baekhwa to the world.
Set up in redeveloped Songdo and went live.
"Hey everyone~! Your eternal idol Baekhwa here!"
Baekha
Monster villain bitch playing idol lol
Upper guy's cut off from news?
Won't even glance at you, stop simping. Fought Yoo Jin-seok as monster. Not villain, what is she?
Lmao who lets themselves get hit attacking lol
Chat's on fire.
Need a manager? But Baekhwa TV wasn't meant to last long anyway.
"Anyway, boot the ruder-than-this-monster-villain folks."
ㄷㄷ Showing as promised today?
"Of course. I don't lie~? Take a look!"
Songdo's already bustling with people living here.
Showed it live.
People actually living?
How in a disaster zone?
Villains not raiding?
"Monsters formed vigilante groups here. Even ex-villains, they catch most attackers."
Baekhwa fought Yoo Jin-seok fair even if he went easy
Yoo Jin-seok washed up now anyway ㅈㄹㄴ
"Yoo Jin-seok's stronger than me anyway. I ran first that time—stamina gave out."
Not the time to debate who's stronger.
"Hello, Baekhwa."
"Hi there."
"Thanks to you, my daughter and I survived. Thank you."
"No problem. Here, kiddo, have some candy."
The mother-daughter I'd rescued recently thanked me, so I gave the girl my candy.
This is image management.
Unlike politicians' fake smiles, as monster villain Baekhwa, I was genuinely earning survivors' trust.
Where is this anyway?
"You hunters find it yourselves!"
Blazing Bat's first kiss stolen for real?
Didn't see clear, explain explain
T-panties too explain
Need to explain that? Just slobbered on a mouth that'll never kiss anyway.
"Oh, but kiss virgin so she sucked at it? And in disaster zones, undies are rare, so only this."
Lol Blazing Bat spamming Baekhwa hate on her galleria from dawn to morn.
All Songdo survivors in T-panties? ㅜㅑ
Fuck imagining guys too, suddenly pissed.
Oh, Blazing Bat's pissed.
"Anyway, if Association catches on, can't show more. Just imagine thousands living here."
That'll do. Cut the stream.
Who's next? Probably one guy, two girls.
Yoo Jin-seok told Association, so for soft approach, send women; backup muscle for if needed.
Baek Cheong-gang and Seo Ji-yeon duo likely.
Association's top post-Jin-seok: those two. Or guild, but they'd need Blue House okay.
Wait.
"Heung-bu might come too?"
Heung-bu'd be annoying.
His power's poverty, right? 'Power of Poverty'—less he has, stronger he gets. Wears just enough to dodge arrest, like a cop uncle.
His ragged look alone hits me hard visually.
Not even handsome. Just burly manly face? Like those daddy types in gay stuff. Exactly.
Heung-bu's the one guy who damages me just by existing.
And if he ults and shreds clothes naked? I'd have to avert eyes.
Author Yoo Eun-ha drew Heung-bu illustrations top-tier for some reason.
Makes me madder.
"In previous work, that naked ass made women villains kneel."
Get disgusted, blindside, lose.
Too early to assume. Check situation?
"U-um, Eun-ha. Someone's near Songdo."
Rosemary, patrolling outskirts with four clone dolls, rushed in reporting.
"Yeah? Who?"
"One's Death Photographer Seo Ji-yeon. Other's God of Poverty Lee Heung-bu."
Speak of the devil.
As expected. At least Seo Ji-yeon's there—good.
I'll bang her hard in future, but need compromise now.
Elise impossible. Stronger now, but vs two Korean S-ranks? No.
Can't handle Heung-bu, and botch could spark US diplomacy mess.
"Expected combo. Sia."
"Yes, Master."
"Stuff mana stones in later, take Heung-bu. Can do?"
She's a constellation now; gotta earn it.
"Kill-or-be-killed, this body's iffy now."
Choi Sia uses some constellation power. Issue's inner Choi Si-woo.
To restrain lust-corrupted Si-woo, can't go full power.
"Nah, that'd wake Lust. Better keep Heung-bu alive."
Stubborn pest ruining my eyes, but his strength's useful.
Excluding Yoo Jin-seok gen, top Korean fighter with bro Nol-bu.
Uses weird 'Poverty Fist Art'; some Japanese sumo hunter surrendered.
Starts with visual terrorism naked tho.
Best chase off. Problem: keep coming, eventually expose Songdo.
Recruit Seo Ji-yeon as ally instead?