Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Dealing with the Creep (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The main tent was that kind of place.
In military terms, it was like the communications room.
They did stand night watch at night, but low-rank hunters took turns patrolling the perimeter of the camp. S-rank hunters stood watch too, of course, but pride meant they stayed inside the main tent receiving reports instead of patrolling the outside themselves, occasionally checking the camp's status.
Naturally, all the S-rank hunters were gathered there.
It wasn't bedtime yet, and it was the perfect hour for some cozy chit-chat.
Which was how this incident snowballed into something huge.
"What happened?"
Disturbances inside a dungeon were dealt with harshly.
No CCTV, no laws—it was a lawless zone.
Any accident, especially hunter-on-hunter conflict, could turn deadly fast.
Thud.
The burly guy tossed me to the ground like garbage and shot me a smug look.
His face screamed, 'You're done for now, you punk.'
Then he pointed right at me and ratted me out to the S-rank hunters.
"I saw this porter sexually harassing Hyeji—no, Hunter Im Hyeji—in her tent."
"What?"
Murmurs rippled through the watching hunters.
The S-rankers scowled at me too.
This was serious business.
Dungeon crimes, especially sexual assault, didn't just blow over.
Mess it up, and you'd have bodies on the floor.
"Lee Geun-ho."
"Yes, Team Leader."
The chaotic vibe hung thick.
One S-rank hunter stepped out from the main tent to play referee.
He was F Team's guy. He glanced around and sighed.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"...Pardon?"
I barely held back a laugh.
Yeah, I'd groped her chest. It was true.
No one around, but this creep was lurking again. Perfect timing—he was staring right at us—so I gave Im Hyeji's breast a good squeeze.
He'd seen it crystal clear. I saw him freak out and bolt from view.
Just messing with him for fun.
Didn't expect him to go full throttle like this.
Hell, I was shocked.
What the fuck did this idiot think he was doing?
Even if I'd groped her, airing it out in front of everyone? Dude was off his rocker.
"Forget whether it happened or not. Who the hell are you to drag Hunter Im Hyeji's humiliating ordeal out in front of all these people without her say-so?"
"...Ah!"
Most hunters here were guys.
About thirty percent women, and every last one was glaring at Lee Geun-ho like he was scum.
I wasn't any different.
But the guys? Their stares were something else.
Not even proven yet, and they were eyeing me with this weird mix of envy and spite.
With that face?
Forced her, huh?
Fuck... I ain't never even touched...
Why could I hear their bullshit thoughts in their eyes?
"S-Sorry! I was just so pissed...!"
"And why the hell was F Team in C Team territory? You ignoring my order to stay in your zone?"
"I'm sorry!! I was just dropping off some snacks... Sorry!"
Lee Geun-ho got verbally shredded by his team leader right there in that ridiculous mess.
Pitiful as hell to watch.
First time verbal abuse looked more painful than taking a punch.
"You think the guild's a joke?"
After laying into Lee Geun-ho for a good minute, F Team's leader turned to me.
"You're Im Hyeji's porter, right?"
"Yes."
"...Civilian?"
"Yes."
"We're sorry. For a hunter using force on a civilian—we'll handle formal discipline when we exit the dungeon and apologize properly."
"Yes."
The team leader bowed low. Anxiety filled his eyes.
I wasn't Semi Guild staff.
Hell, I was a straight-up civilian, in here on Im Hyeji's personal invite.
If word got out a guild hunter collared and roughed up a civilian like that?
Semi Guild's rep would tank, and the Hunter Association would launch "investigations" that'd cost them big—fines, restrictions, the works.
Dungeon safety protocols were ironclad.
That explained it.
"Let's talk inside."
"...Why?"
"Violence gets punished, sure—but we gotta confirm if it stemmed from your crime."
Already screwed, but fishing for an out.
No way was I playing along.
"That's fishy."
With all these hunters around, why sneak into a cramped private tent?
I yelled it loud for the crowd.
"Hyeji's an SS-rank hunter. Even if a nobody porter like me actually groped her, unless she got mind-controlled or some shit, she'd roast me herself. Why's this anyone else's business?"
"...."
"Common sense: any hunter gonna sit there and take a random grope from some porter, then invite him into her tent?"
"...."
Team leader had no comeback.
Hunters murmured agreement.
Spot on.
Hunters and civilians? No man-woman vibes possible.
Biggest thing I watched out for with Im Hyeji.
Why I'd used pheromones in the first place.
One slip, and I'm dead.
Her support skills packing B-rank offense? A-rank mana blast sends civilians like me straight to the grave.
Awkward silence settled.
Everyone knew the score.
One person to end this.
"What happened?"
Right on cue—Im Hyeji's voice.
I flopped back down quick, rolling a bit in the dirt.
"...Oppa?"
She scanned around, spotted me, rushed over to check.
Then eyed F Team's leader.
"What happened?"
"Well..."
No one dared speak up.
Duh.
Who blurts "You got sexually assaulted!" to the victim's face in a crowd? Only psychos.
"Let's step inside..."
No covering this up.
Head in her lap, I spilled.
"That guy said I groped you... collared me and dragged me here."
"...? Groped me?"
"Yeah."
Im Hyeji shot Lee Geun-ho a look of utter disbelief—colder than ice.
Anger laced her face. He panicked.
Hunters watched.
She glanced at me, then him, stood, and closed in.
Drew a breath.
"Why're you doing this?"
"...Huh?"
"You've been creeping on me for months."
"...No, that's not..."
"And today—you told Oppa to quit flirting with me?"
"Ah, uh, that was..."
She hammered him. He stammered.
Pure truth—no lies. F Team leader barked.
"Lee Geun-ho. That true?"
"Ah, well... wasn't creeping..."
"Team Leader."
"Yeah, Hyeji?"
Im Hyeji turned to C Team's leader.
"The porter I brought? He's like my big bro. Got tight with Hana, crashed at their place, met him. Killer cook, super nice—so I hired him. Left the tent flap open to dodge rumors. Team saw us sharing meals."
Tears of raw injustice glistened in her eyes, words steady.
Game over.
"It's true, Team Leader. Saw 'em lunching together."
"Me too. Zero sketchy vibes."
C Team crew—the ones who'd offered her food—jumped in with testimonies.
Done deal.
"How you wanna play this, Hyeji? Boot Lee Geun-ho from the dungeon? Or pull F Team out now?"
"No. F Team Leader, please wrap it clean. Don't wanna hurt the guild over this. Sort it later—just keep him away from me."
"Got it. F Team Leader."
"...Sorry. Lee Geun-ho. With me."
SS-rank hunter.
Maybe SSS soon. Victim tearing up? Lee Geun-ho's dumbass charge ended as a midnight farce.
Kang Hana hustled over, checked Im Hyeji.
"Hyeji, you good? That fucker. Knew he'd snap eventually. Got handsy with me once, ate shit for it—didn't peg him for coming at you."
"Hana, thanks. And seriously—your bro didn't."
"...I know. Face aside, he ain't the type."
"...."
"...."
Our eyes met at Hana's words—Im Hyeji and me.
I looked away.
She did too.
Why the blind trust outta nowhere? Embarrassing as hell.
"I'll make damn sure that prick Lee Geun-ho vanishes from this dungeon."
"Nah. Don't get you in hot water, Hana. Thanks."
"I'll stick him on corpse duty 100 meters back. Motherfucker."
Hana glanced my way.
"...You okay?"
"Ho might fix me right up..."
"...You're fine."
Bad mood—she ignored the joke and bailed.
Im Hyeji and I headed back to her tent.
"Oppa, wash up here."
"No bonus round in the shower?"
"...."
"Kidding. Thanks. Just a rinse."
Speechless, she stepped out while I cleaned up.
Warm water hit, and the emotions surged.
"Fucking asshole."
He pries, so I flash a tit grab to rub it in—and he flips the script into this circus.
Halfway to social suicide.
But no letting it slide.
No beating, sure—but dragged like a slaughter-bound dog in peak summer? Bullshit.
"You're fucked."
A perfect payback plan clicked in my head.