Chapter 11
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Know Thine Enemy
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Sejin stepped out of a refreshing shower and roughly shook out her damp hair.
"My body's all clean, but my mind feels so damn uneasy."
Sejin sat down at the vanity and peered at her reflection in the mirror.
She hadn't slept properly for days ever since running into Do Jaegyu at the gukbap joint.
Sure enough, her under-eyes were deeply sunken and hollow.
"They say sleep is the best medicine!"
[For someone who snores loud enough to rattle the rafters while sleeping like a log...]
"Whose side are you on?"
Sejin shot her eyes up and let out a deep sigh before slathering lotion roughly across her face.
"You didn't forget, did you?"
Do Jaegyu letting her off so easily was just too damn suspicious. Sejin tilted her head side to side.
"Exactly."
She'd been glaring at the mirror like it was her mortal foe, then nodded firmly.
[What exactly?]
"It's not like I just glanced at it and forgot, right?"
[Isn't that just your wishful thinking?]
"Quit being such a buzzkill. What's the big deal with a little empathy?"
[If empathy solved it, I'd have empathized a hundred times over by now...]
Who asked for cold hard facts? At least try to soothe my nerves!
Sejin pouted and smeared the thin cream thickly over her face.
[The head of Silver Spirit Guild casually asking if you're Black Shadow? That's suspicious right from the jump...]
"I get that much."
[And with his intel network, digging up who you are would be child's play. The silence so far has me on edge too.]
The memory hit her: Do Jaegyu suddenly asking if she was Black Shadow, then pitching guild recruitment.
And that sly, smiling face of his.
Hmm, handsome, no doubt.
[Thinking he's handsome again, huh?]
Ghost much? Hold on... don't gods fall under the ghost category?
Caught red-handed, Sejin cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Wh-who said anything?"
[Have I not been stuck with you long enough? Sheesh... forget I said anything.]
"You gave up too quick, so I was just... hypothesizing here and there."
[Yeah, right.]
That totally unconvinced tone made Sejin stick out her lower lip.
How'd he know? Damn, too much time together.
Grumbling under her breath, Sejin patted the leftover cream into her skin.
"What the hell are his intentions anyway?"
[Beats me.]
Lost in pointless brooding, Sejin suddenly yelled out.
"That's it! Know your enemy and know yourself, a hundred battles, a hundred victories."
She snatched the laptop from the corner of the vanity. Plopping cross-legged onto the small stool, she fired up the search bar.
Typing Do Jaegyu's name into the familiar green portal popped up his profile alongside that handsome mug.
"Ooh, certified hottie."
[And we're off again.]
"Er, ahem, th-that's objective fact."
Having blurted out her inner monologue, Sejin frantically scrolled the mouse wheel. Article after endless article about Do Jaegyu poured in.
<Hot Top Star Jung Chaeyoon Spills Her Ideal Type: No Surprise, Do Jaegyu.>
<Ideal Types for Countless Actresses: Do Jaegyu and Han Kitae Always in the Top 2>
"Whoa, insanely popular."
Sejin's eyes went wide seeing Do Jaegyu topping lists of ideal types from big-name female celebs.
"No way, her too? Wild."
The heroine of a smash-hit drama? Do Jaegyu. Right next to Jung Chaeyoon's profile pic—the queen of innocent beauty—was his.
Paparazzi shots of them grabbing a private meal were floating around too, hinting at some connection.
"Oh em gee. Are they for real? Rumors were swirling. Check these pics—straight-up date vibes."
[Haa... This your idea of 'know your enemy'?]
"Ahem."
Sejin hit back quick to banish the articles from sight. Scrolling further down the portal revealed community posts galore.
Honestly, it's that guy's fault well-managed hunters are going rogue and corporate guilds are popping up, right? Money over everything? Lives are on the line. No room for capitalism here?
So Han Kitae and the rest are idiots for sticking with the government? Total selfish prick. Can't even try to see him positively. Subversive element? And how's he sniping only the top-rated newbies? Fucking sleazy.
Real talk, you'd bail for 10 bil too.
But facts? Hunters = national defense. Even with no-emigration rules... Do Jaegyu stirred the pot for sure.
Lawyerphobic much? Hiding behind initials.
Who asked for understanding~?
From a powerless normie's view, yeah it stings, feels like betrayal. But they're human too, risking life and limb. Gov treatment's been trash forever. Other countries let hunters switch freely, but we hammer patriotism and grind 'em down. Just different bosses under the same flag. Calling 'em traitors is weird.
Peninsula that turns even hunters into hell-mode.
If no hunter registry from the start, we'd be US-tier now. Watch folks claim freedom, country can't handle, hunters cause chaos. Hunters scarier than guns there these days.
Sejin scanned the varied opinions, then pulled one leg up and rested her chin on her knee.
"Tons of Do Jaegyu haters out there."
Makes sense. Back during the 'Do Jaegyu Defection' drama, even students were picking sides and brawling online.
True to form as Korea's top hunter, scrolling yielded mountains of info.
She thought she'd kept tabs via spot checks and communities, but it was just the tip of the iceberg.
Rubbing her eyelids with her fingers, Sejin clicked a video.
Whoosh—
A ferocious roar of flames hit first. The screen shook like an earthquake, but the subject was crystal clear.
Do Jaegyu stood there, red hair whipping in the wind, flames erupting fiercely from his fist as people fled creatures bursting from the Gate—too panicked to evacuate fully.
The surroundings were pure pandemonium.
The creature charging the filmer—crumpled on the ground shooting video—burst into flames and turned to ash in seconds.
Poof—
The beast's maw split to its hips, baring razor teeth, before scattering like dust.
Do Jaegyu whipped his head around, his pitch-black eyes locking straight onto the camera.
Empty voids stared back through the screen, and Sejin gulped involuntarily. Gah—her own swallow cut the video short with the sound.
What kinda death wish filming mid-crisis. How many lives?
Views = crack for these people.
Strong AF. Scary strong. Locked eyes and pissed myself.
SS-class owning it. Korea with Do Jaegyu, baby.
National pride hit? Do you know Do Jaegyu?
That Stone Mountain Station Gate four months back? Chaos. Creatures spilled out sudden-like. Scared me shitless. Lucky low pop area, no shops nearby. If Do Jaegyu hadn't shown... nightmare fuel.
You guys know? Hunter Promotion Agency won the bid, but lacked high-rankers so shoved in lowbies. Couldn't close it, creatures escaped. Silver Spirit Guild cleaned up after they GG'd.
Fuck, if Do Jaegyu hadn't gone free agent, none of this.
Why blame Do Jaegyu ffs? You entrust ability to him? Your grades and looks his fault too?
Where you live?
In your head.
A total shitshow in the comments from five minutes ago. Sejin blinked hazily and replayed Do Jaegyu's video.
"Strong... insanely strong."
Her face drained white recalling the creature incinerated to nothingness in a blink.
"Holy shit, I was planning to throw down with this guy?"
[Old saying: where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.]
"Zip it."
[Talking to me, Sejin?]
Her subconscious slip escaped before she could reel it back.
"No way. Just echoing the comments subconsciously. People are so bold though... not like they handed him the reins, but bossing him around."
[Tch tch. Humans, same as ever, past and present.]