Chapter 20
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 020
Chapter Title: Ice Awakener Baek Dam-bi [5]
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I grinned as I read my interview article.
Thanks to my Super Regeneration, all my physical injuries had healed by now, but in the photo embedded in the article, I looked like three fingers and part of my face had been sliced off.
The caption below it read, "Despite suffering severe injuries, he displayed indomitable spirit and continued the operation." Seeing that made me satisfied. If they hadn't acknowledged how much I'd suffered, I would've been pretty upset.
Oh, there was also an interview from the survivors. Hunter Kim Geuk took care of them even while looking like he was in bad shape, controlling the situation... Yeah, that was satisfying too.
And just like that, the article wrapped up by noting that my efforts had allowed 89 households in that apartment complex—exactly 457 people—to survive.
That berserker in the photo and the psycho who gave that interview are really the same guy?
For real lol
I didn't like how that bastard bragged about turning two people into cripples because he couldn't control his temper. Seeing him living without thinking about the consequences, just some thug who luckily awakened and struck it rich... it pisses me off. But watching him charge headfirst at monsters without any anger management issues? Feels reassuring as hell.
Kim Geuk and I were middle school classmates. Back when he graduated middle school, he was just a big guy who quietly read history books in the back of the class. He doesn't have anger issues.
Reading books in class? Not some thug who picks fights all the time?
At least in my memory, he wasn't a thug. His expression was always dark, but he never fought anyone? I was shocked he got into trouble on the first day of high school. Now he looks totally different from what I remember, so it's weird.
Why does that guy always give interviews like that? Is he doing it on purpose to be funny? Is it his concept?
I don't know if he's trying to be funny or if it's his concept, but his words match his actions, and he seems full of energy, which is nice. There are tons of thugs who sign contracts with local areas and then constantly badmouth the region—what's wrong with this guy?
I kept scrolling down, and down, but it never ended. The comments had surpassed four hundred.
The article's views were in the hundred thousands too—an astonishing level of interest for a story about some local incident. Probably because my interview was hilarious again, and it got shared all over various sites.
Man, all this pouring attention felt electric.
Meanwhile, it seemed Baek Dam-bi had read the article too. She suddenly hit me with a random question.
"Back then, did you think I sounded like some otaku?"
"Yes."
"That's too much..."
I chuckled and glanced at the other team members.
Everyone's eyes were on Baek Dam-bi and me. Her chit-chat must've been pretty surprising.
As I smirked, the vehicle carrying our team started moving.
It wasn't a regular bus—it was modified so you could climb onto the roof. When I hopped up top, gazes poured in from all around.
"Here comes Hunter Kim Geuk!"
Councilor Park Mi-hyeong, who had been giving a speech up front, raised my hand high. She bellowed into the mic.
"Everyone, give him a big round of applause!"
The applause rained down, my name chanted... I waved and waved.
As the vehicle carrying me passed through the true heart of Korea—Moran Market—I thought with overwhelming emotion.
Anyway, I'll keep on living and seeing what happens. Who'd have thought I'd end up as the star of a parade like this?
Next to me, Councilor Park Mi-hyeong's passionate voice kept echoing.
"Thank you all for joining us despite your busy schedules! It's worth it, right? You all saw the articles! Hunter Kim Geuk here did an amazing job..."
In the end, this wasn't a parade to praise my recent exploits—it just turned out that way.
They'd planned this parade from the start to advertise my contract with Incheon City, but my fame from the incident drew a huge crowd, ramping up the praise for me.
Thinking about it, it's kinda weird. Holding a full-on parade at the local government level just to announce a contract with one hunter?
They don't make this much fuss even when a new police chief or fire chief takes over responsibility for the area's safety. It's unusual to go this far for a hunter, but they said it wasn't for nothing—it was very important.
Apparently, for recovering surrounding real estate values, it was crucial.
I hadn't understood why land prices mattered so much until recently, but after this incident, I got the gist.
"This incident proved that Incheon can respond brilliantly even to unexpected large-scale events... that we have the ability to protect our Incheon citizens..."
In this world, every Korean is desperate to move to Seoul.
Not because of better infrastructure or more jobs—people just want to survive.
You can tell from real estate prices alone. Seoul property, already expensive before Gates opened, has more than quadrupled since, while provincial prices have dropped.
Even Incheon buildings are dirt cheap right now.
Look at those villas near Moran Market Station—listed for just 1.5 million won. Absurd compared to skyrocketing prices these days.
Incheon isn't the only place like this; everywhere in the provinces is the same. People worry about becoming monster chow more easily out here. And it's true.
Compared to Seoul, provinces lack budgets to prepare for monster attacks. No money for pricey Awakeners or equipment. They inevitably defend far worse against assaults.
And the monsters from Gates aren't idiots. They target easy prey first.
They even repeat attacks on spots where they've succeeded before without big losses.
Areas that fail to wipe out initial Gate-spawned monsters often see Gates reopen later.
Poor defense leads to real estate crashes.
Local shops go bust, residents flee. Renters dwindle, budgets shrink more. Gate defenses crumble pathetically.
Eventually, the neighborhood gets branded as doomed. With too few residents, even the local government and national authorities abandon it.
That's how post-Gate slums are born.
Such slums keep multiplying in the provinces. Streets with no operating shops, just illegally dumped trash piling up—death lands where only listless elderly without energy to move and homeless wait to be monster food.
In this Incheon Gate incident, total deaths were thirty. Mostly hunters, plus some homeless squatting in empty buildings and a few slow-to-evacuate elderly.
That counts as "minimal casualties." Even Seoul's toughest districts couldn't hope for better.
Successfully blocking this Gate had great results too. Real estate prices around that apartment complex rose overall, with the complex itself surging big time.
It's not just speculators smiling. It means more.
It means residents won't abandon their land and leave, that nearby convenience stores and McDonald's will keep running. Their sorted trash won't rot forever—it'll get picked up before stinking. The local government and nation will keep caring for those citizens.
Meanwhile, my hunter team climbed onto the bus roof too, waving to the crowd.
Baek Dam-bi waved especially enthusiastically—like some celebrity invited to the event. Seong Mun-yeong sneaking glances at her with a horrified look was hilarious.
"Photo time! Smile, everyone..."
I smiled, the academy grads smiled, even Baek Dam-bi smiled as the parade ended.
Gathering for coffee, the team started chatting.
"Hyung Jin-yeong, why do you keep staring at your feet? Drop something?"
"Sorry, my feet itch."
"Your feet itch? Why?"
"Athlete's foot, probably..."
"Dude, seriously? Don't you shower? Stay away from me..."
Surprisingly, Baek Dam-bi was part of this grubby guys' gathering.
I glanced at her again, still smiling faintly.
She'd seemed in a good mood all day. Why? Because she got attention like a celebrity, playing her imaginary idol role?
I might've thought that a few days ago, but not anymore.
When that Spirit appeared, she volunteered to fight alongside me. I'd figured her goal was just to grit through jobs despite the hate, after pocketing hundreds of millions in contract fees. Her stepping up made no sense then.
But seeing her reaction after we took it down, I get it now.
She wanted to shine too. That drive to fulfill her role, to do what only an Awakener can.
Her lack of passion before was just no chance to shine. So she jumped in at the first opportunity, and rejoiced after sorta succeeding...
"Provinces don't pay right after a hunt? In Seoul, they always paid the next day."
"No choice. Local places don't pay from their own funds anymore—they borrow from Seoul each time..."
Listening to Jang Byeong-gon and Seong Mun-yeong, I asked,
"You guys haven't gotten paid yet?"
"Nah, end of the month."
"I got mine yesterday."
"Whoa, they pay Awakeners on the spot? Must be nice."
They grumbled, and Seong Mun-yeong left first.
As others dispersed, I spotted Jeong Jin-yeong still in his boots.
No pay yet meant he was broke. I called him.
"Hyung Jin-yeong? Come with me somewhere."
He still fears me. He flinched, eyes uneasy not knowing why I singled him out.
"Huh? Why..."
I grabbed his shoulder without explaining and Teleported.
In front of a shoe store, as he blinked in confusion, I said,
"Pick out two pairs. One for everyday, one for hunts."
"Shoes? Suddenly why...?"
"You got athlete's foot. Those boots are probably crawling with fungus—ditch 'em or get 'em cleaned, and wear something else."
"How'd you know about the athlete's foot?"
"Overheard your chat earlier. Been bugging me."
His eyes widened at my words.
After a bit, glancing around, he picked two pairs. I paid, and his eyes bugged out again.
Out of the store, I dragged him to a pharmacy. Paid for the meds too, then said,
"Couldn't say during the hunt 'cause chaos, but you did great this time. Keep it up, yeah?"
I patted his shoulder a few times, but he reacted weirdly again. Head down, shoulders shaking. I hadn't expected such an intense response to simple encouragement—I was the flustered one.
I waved goodbye and Teleported, parting coolly.
Having financial breathing room is nice. Even athlete's foot cream is ridiculously pricey, but only hunters can buy it without blinking.
Back home, I grabbed my phone. After checking current teammates, time for old ones.
"Hey, Mr. Yang Tae-gyu. It's Kim Geuk—remember me? The guy who did odd jobs at the Korean Awakener Alliance... Oh, you do? Keeping up with my news? Great, no need to explain then.
I got my contract fee recently, so I've got some spare cash. Last time we parted, you said loans were tough with no credit... So, I'll... Oh, yeah. Yeah. No interest, pay back slow when you can. Text the account, sure..."