Chapter 94
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 094
Chapter Title: Ice Awakeners - [2]
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Seriously, I was flabbergasted when I heard that offer.
What the hell was this woman planning to help with? It couldn't be anything like the rampage I'd pulled at the police station...
"How exactly do you plan to help?"
Baek Dam-bi answered my question.
"Beats me. I figured I'd just go there myself and see if there's anything I can pitch in on."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"Well, I've met Jin-beom a few times, short as they were. And he's helped us out with our work..."
So, no big reason. I thought about talking her out of it but decided against it.
I didn't have anything particularly violent planned for today anyway. Bringing her along and letting her join in should be fine.
After finishing my daily hunt, I picked up my round girl and headed to the freezer.
Baek Dam-bi realized what the facility was and frowned.
"This place..."
Incheon Awakener Detention Center. But really, just a prison for pure Ice Awakeners.
The facility right in front of the high-rise apartment I was building still boasted its hideous exterior and drab gloom. Just looking at it made it clear why Baek Dam-bi had refused to step foot inside before.
When we reached the entrance, Baek Dam-bi widened her eyes behind her sunglasses.
"What's that?"
She was pointing at the banner I'd put up: 'Villas for Rent Near Kim Geuk Manor: Monthly Rent 70,000 Won ~ 120,000 Won.'
"I bought a few villa buildings near my place and rent them out to people here. That's the ad."
"The rent's ridiculously cheap..."
"The villas were cheap to begin with, so I'm just charging enough to cover basic upkeep while renting them out."
"No issues with that? Like complaints from neighbors...?"
"Not really. Ice Awakeners might attract monsters, but none have shown up so far."
"Really? Well, with you living here, Kim Geuk... any monsters trying to come out of the gates probably just turn tail and run..."
I grinned and took the lead.
As she followed, Baek Dam-bi asked,
"How long have you been doing this?"
"Renting to people here? Ever since that suicide fiasco with Jin-beom last time."
"You've been at it since then?"
"Yeah."
"Way more serious than I thought. Impressive, really."
"Didn't you already say that?"
"Then I'll say it again. You're impressive in every way."
Why did this woman keep doing this? Had she seen Im Hyeong-taek and Jeong Jin-yeong's flattery and decided that was proper social behavior to emulate?
I had to awkwardly laugh it off again.
After that, Baek Dam-bi kept asking questions, clearly intrigued.
"So, no one's left inside the detention center now? If all the Ice Awakeners living here moved to the places you rent...?"
"Plenty still there. Lots can't afford even 70,000 won a month. Others are scared to leave because they'd lose the free meals from the facility..."
We were chatting like that as we entered the detention center.
"Oh, Kim Geuk hyung! Come on in! Here about Jin-beom ajusshi, right?"
A young guy living in the facility spotted us, greeted me warmly, then blinked at Baek Dam-bi I'd brought along.
It wasn't her crop top outfit that caught his eye.
"Whoa, Baek Dam-bi?"
Baek Dam-bi. Her name came from the young man's mouth.
She took off her sunglasses and widened her eyes. In a flustered voice, she asked,
"You know me?"
"Sorry. Anyway, yeah, I do."
"How?"
The young man glanced at me.
"Kim Geuk hyung told us..."
"Kim Geuk told you about me?"
"Yeah! All sorts of stuff."
We walked past him. Baek Dam-bi protested from behind me.
"What the hell did you tell them about me?"
I scratched my head.
"I didn't say anything weird like you're an idol who can't sing or whatever. Just..."
She looked ready to protest more, so I quickly continued.
"...I showed them a possible future they could choose. As Hunters, I mean."
Baek Dam-bi started to object but trailed off.
"What...?"
"A lot of Ice Awakeners struggle to find jobs and survive on the facility's free handouts. No real employment prospects. So I lured them in. Asked if they wanted to try being Hunters."
"Ice Awakeners... as Hunters?"
I ignored the brutal word that nearly slipped from her pretty mouth and explained.
"Yeah, Hunters. Ice Ability is notoriously bad for Hunter work. But now there's a success story right here next to me. So I name-dropped you, Dam-bi."
"You used my name?"
"Not in a big way. Just showed highlight videos and footage of your exploits to reel them in."
"What...?"
"See, they say Ice Awakeners can't cut it as Hunters, but with proper growth, they absolutely can. This is the peak an Ice Awakener can reach. They can thrive as Hunters, and as Spirits, they don't age. They can even pull off fantasy-magic stuff. That's what I showed them..."
Baek Dam-bi walked silently for a bit after my explanation. Then she suddenly asked,
"How did you show them that?"
"Plenty of footage out there. News clips, Naito-sang's YouTube videos... Hired a video editor to compile a 'Baek Dam-bi Hunter Highlights' reel and showed it to people here."
"They actually watched that?"
"They loved it. Even this auntie who seemed totally uninterested in Hunting watched it multiple times. Not sure why, but maybe vicarious satisfaction from seeing their ability shine?"
Even as I explained that far, Baek Dam-bi looked skeptical.
Wondering if I was exaggerating or if it was even true?
Her doubts cleared as we walked the detention center corridors.
Residents we passed all recognized us. Not just me—Baek Dam-bi too.
Several greeted her, and each time, my round girl bashfully nodded and moved on, playing it cool.
Even her trying to act cool couldn't ignore one fan who approached.
"Dam-bi unnie? It is you! I'm a huge fan! I even enrolled in Hunter academy...!"
At the young woman's words, Baek Dam-bi awkwardly asked,
"You enrolled in a Hunter academy?"
"Yeah, Bupyeong Hunting Academy! Kim Geuk covered the tuition, but that's not the only reason—I fell for unnie after your videos!"
So, basically, your highlight reels sparked her Hunter dreams. The woman kept gushing rapidly.
Unnie's so pretty, I thought Hunting was dirty work but your videos changed my mind, I wanna be like you... Idol-level fangirling.
After that fan meet-and-greet, I showed her the highlight reel I'd shared with the facility—right to her face.
Finally believing me, Baek Dam-bi muttered,
"Feels weird."
"Weird how?"
"I don't know... just weird."
She muttered and fell silent again for a while.
I glanced at her face without the sunglasses.
Lost in thought, yet faintly smiling.
Maybe she was realizing she could be a symbol. That she could be someone's hope, someone's goal.
If so, I hoped she'd stop getting called trash on HuntWeb. Frustrated I couldn't say it myself, Baek Dam-bi asked,
"So, what's next?"
"Nothing much. Handing out flyers about the incident on the streets. Already printed them, so if you help distribute..."
Besides flyers, I did a bunch of other stuff.
I kept storming the police station holding Jin-beom, posted pretty-worded articles on HuntWeb, and requested support from the Hunter Association.
The Association's response to my request? 'We'll consider it.'
They gave that vague answer and kept delaying decisions, frustrating me.
Finally, someone from the Association came to see me. Someone I knew well.
"You're representing the Association?"
Seok Jang-sil nodded at my question.
"Yeah. So, after talking with everyone, wanna hear the results?"
Seok Jang-sil and I were on casual terms now.
His affinity was no joke. After I covered for him arriving late to his sector in the Seoul Gate incident, we grabbed a meal and got closer.
"Spill. What'd they say?"
"First, Hyung-man ajusshi's skeptical. Says it's not Hunter business, so why should the Association speak up?"
I clicked my tongue at Seok Jang-sil's words. Expected, but bitter.
"Figured he'd say that. Next?"
"Jun-chi hyung... like you guessed."
"Not interested?"
"Yep. Doesn't wanna stick his neck out for unrelated stuff."
"Knew it. So Association's stance is no reason to get involved?"
Seok Jang-sil shook his head.
"That's the vibe, but you know? Even Hyung-man ajusshi feels iffy jumping in right away, but since it's your request, he doesn't wanna outright refuse. Others say we gotta pay extra attention because it's you. Opinions aren't settled yet."
"If the Association hasn't decided, why're you here?"
"To get your thoughts, obviously."
"Why mine?"
Seok Jang-sil answered,
"Wondering why you're pushing so hard. Checked at the station—they said you've already caused a scene. If it'd been before the Gate opened or if you could've sent in the police special forces to subdue him, he'd have been arrested ages ago... Hyung, aren't you scared of license revocation?"
"License? Hunter license?"
"Yeah. Association head's still that guy, right? Practically a civil servant—government says the word, and your license is gone. Not worried?"
I answered calmly on purpose.
"Once I wrap up Ganghwa-do, Incheon's reclamation project is done."
"Already? Well..."
"Got all the materials for the high-rise ahead of time. Plenty of cash stacked up. Even if they yank my license suddenly, I'll live fine."
Seok Jang-sil sighed at my words.
"You're set on this. Kinda throws me off..."
"No need to be thrown. Anyway, what's your take?"
"Honestly... I'm kinda with them."
"'Cause it doesn't seem Hunter-related and I'm jumping in?"
"Nah. I think controlling Ice Awakeners is necessary right now. You charging in like this feels off."
What the hell was this guy doing? Spying for the government or something?
I stared at Seok Jang-sil pointedly in protest. He continued,
"Look at America. Ice Awakeners assassinated politicians, no evidence, so they got released. Now it's chaos. Even middle schoolers awakening Ice powers are taking hit jobs online, calling themselves super-assassins."
"So it's needed for social order?"
"Yeah. America's used to gun violence, so more deaths are whatever. But if Korea ends up the same..."
I said,
"Social order? Not my problem."
"Why?"
"Plenty already worry about that. Tons defending the government. 'Government's competent, rice prices stable.' 'Fewer starve thanks to them.' 'Don't mess with government work.' 'Ice Awakener oppression's a human rights issue, but necessary evil.' Plenty like that. Even more pretending to pragmatically assess reality."
"So what's your point?"
"Government's got enough defenders. Why join them?"
"Hm..."
"Almost no one defends Awakeners. Especially Ice Awakeners."
People are all like that. Why defend cushy Awakeners? Before human rights talk, would you like one next door?
Just thinking it made my blood boil...
Got too heated, so I took a deep breath. Then wrapped up.
"So, someone like me has to take their side!"
After a pause, Seok Jang-sil spoke.
"I get your thinking, but I asked at the station—Jin-beom's definitely the killer. And pre-Awakeners, circumstantial evidence alone got plenty guilty verdicts. This doesn't seem that unjust..."
Still trying to convince me. I cut it off.
"Whether Jin-beom ajusshi's a real killer? Not my concern. Honestly, I think my sister in prison might've actually killed someone."
"Huh?"
"Even so, I've wasted years getting her out. Killer or not, no evidence and guilty? Pisses me off."
That caught him off guard. Seok Jang-sil raised an eyebrow.
"Sister in prison? What's that about?"
"Didn't I mention? Got a sister. What happened to her..."
I briefly explained her situation. How it led to Park Mi-hyeong, and Korean Awakener Alliance activities.
After hearing it all, Seok Jang-sil said,
"Ah, got it. Now I see why you're so devoted. Thought some weird influence or something..."
He nodded and concluded,
"In that case, nothing to be done."
"No need for more explanation?"
"Probably not. Heard you out plenty—I'll pass it on."
Was he relaying to the Association? Or, as I suspected, reporting to some government agency?
Didn't matter if the latter. Let him report.
Better that way. Government learning my hardline stance, especially over my sister, might get her out sooner.
Not that seeing her ugly mug earlier would make me happy, but anyway.
Days later, the Association issued a statement of regret over the incident. Kang Jun-chi didn't join, so it lacked weight, but still—tons of Awakeners backing me.
Another week later, Jin-beom was released without charges.
My scaring the cops work? Or the Association's statement?
Or government wanting to bury it quick and end the investigation early...
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Kim Geuk!"
Didn't matter which. Jin-beom crying and thanking me—whether his innocence act was real or not, irrelevant.
I just smiled. Because I'd won a victory the Korean Awakener Alliance days never saw. Because Hunter Kim Geuk's efforts actually worked. I smiled.