Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Netizen Storm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Breaking Army Star's voice rumbled low, laced with disgust.
"More idiots stirring up shit than people actually thanking you. Humanity's compassion just crumbles to dust."
Sejin roughly combed her nearly dry hair with her fingers and yawned widely, her tired eyes blinking open.
"Yawn."
Nothing special.
It was all stale stuff—someone's ideal type, top of the hunters' most respected figures poll, that sort of thing.
Or else posts cursing Do Jaegyu for ditching the government, or overflowing with praise like 'Super badass Jaegyu bro!'
"No gems here."
Sejin was about to close the browser when she paused, hesitantly typing 'Black Shadow' into the green search box.
[Why you?]
"No, ahem, just checking public sentiment. You know, killing two birds with one stone?"
[What are you, some government official? Why bother with public sentiment.]
Always knows how to kill the vibe.
Sejin curled her upper lip right up to her nose and scrolled down the screen. Related searches popped up one after another.
Unregistered hunter, unregistered hunter penalties, punishment severity, special detention center, 200 million bounty, bounty tax, bounty income tax exemption, Black Shadow's identity, Han Kitae's warning.
Whoa... what the hell kind of related searches are these?
Scanning the screen with soulless eyes, she spotted an article featuring Han Kitae's face. It wasn't good news, she could tell... but she clicked it anyway.
Photo: Hunter Promotion Agency Crisis Response Division Elite Team 1 Team Leader Han Kitae issuing a stern warning to the unregistered hunter 'Black Shadow' operating as such.
Sejin froze at the icy glare. It pierced right through the monitor.
He made no secret of his hatred for her—the article's main point was that he'd catch and punish her himself.
"Whoa... his face is straight-up menacing."
[Tough bastard.]
Breaking Army Star growled as if grinding his teeth.
"What... Don't call a criminal acting as an unregistered hunter by the moniker 'Black Shadow'... That name makes criminals arrogant?"
[He doesn't just dislike you a little.]
"'Black Shadow,' meaning a hero operating in the shadows, is too generous for a criminal? Just curse him out already. Curse."
[He didn't drop f-bombs... but he's cursing you outright.]
Pouring oil on a fire, huh? Breaking Army Star's agreement only fueled her rising temper, making the room feel hotter.
Sejin grabbed the hem of her beloved T-shirt she'd been wearing for years as pajamas and flapped it.
"Huh?"
Flabbergasted, Sejin pressed the back of her hand to her flushed face.
Article headlines linking Han Kitae and Black Shadow generally read like this:
Unregistered hunter 'Black Shadow' criminal—I'll catch him with my own hands someday.
The day 'Black Shadow' stands on the judgment platform I've prepared is not far off.
Hot citizen support for Han Kitae struggling to restore national order.
Devotion's icon 'Han Kitae'—who could hate him?
Sejin rolled her dry, stinging eyes as she skimmed the articles.
"Huh? Judgment platform? Platform?"
In a fury of clicks, Sejin spotted a new article.
Is the unregistered hunter 'Black Shadow's' identity social chaos? Or another hero?
True to the headline, the comments were a heated battleground of opinions—more like a raging inferno.
Anyone not know unregistered hunters are dangerous? If they committed a crime, they gotta pay even if intentions were good, right?
Take the L sweetly.
BS. Who the hell are you to decide punish or not?
Something shady going on if they're operating unregistered, right? If innocent, just get licensed and go legit lol.
But they're not hurting anyone else—just closing gates. Not even looting byproducts from inside.
How do you know they didn't snag byproducts? You Black Shadow?
Nah, no way.
Got confused lol.
Confused(X) Guessed(O).
Just type roughly, you get it.
Weird how they only close gates that don't show on detectors. Woulda caused chaos otherwise. Last one was so deep in the mountains gov took forever to notice...
They even using satellites? Slow as hell. Wasting my taxes.
Always the minimum-wage folks whining about taxes.
Why you picking fights ffs.
Inappropriate comment detected.
Inappropriate comment detected.
Take it outside, morons.
Closing gates solo right after they pop? At least A-rank easy.
Then go legit.
Got reasons probably.
Thief steals your wallet, 'got reasons' too.
Why no hunter registration tho?
Did a crime probs.
2222
3333
4444 Can't explain it otherwise.
? Maybe too ugly?
Han Kitae and Do Jaegyu raised the looks bar for hunters. Not like ugly hunters are rare.
Yeah. S-rank+ got a looks cutoff cuz of those two.
"Hey! That's not it! I'm not ugly!"
Sejin jabbed the keyboard hard with each finger.
Doesn't look that ugly from the pic?
As her painstakingly typed comment posted, Breaking Army Star panicked and tried to stop her.
[Ugh, pathetic... Sejin!]
"No! Why attack looks? You seen me? Have you?!"
Breaking Army Star's words fell on deaf ears.
This is why I never search my name. Sejin trembled, her face beet red for ages.
[Delete it now?]
Panting with rage, Sejin blew on her bangs, sending them fluttering.
"Yeah, too emotional... No! Ffs?!"
New replies had piled up, turning her eyes triangular with fury.
Lmao can't even see the pic but 'not ugly.' You Black Shadow?
Can't see thru Magic Eye either lolol blood shield much.
Shadow bro showed up.
Looks attack too much even for Black Shadow~
Her hands shook with rage at the mocking replies.
[Told you not to post.]
Breaking Army Star's 'told you so' only fanned the flames.
Sejin gulped down the iced water she'd left nearby, finally calming her anger.
"Fine... let them toy with it and leave it be."
Clicking back in resignation, she did a double-take at another article.
Do Jaegyu's words of support for Black Shadow.
Eh? Suddenly cheering me on? Didn't see this when I searched him earlier...
Unable to shake suspicions of ulterior motives, Sejin narrowed her eyes.
The article was a transcription of Do Jaegyu's interview.
Reporter: Can I ask your thoughts on the hot topic unregistered hunter 'Black Shadow'? Too sensitive?
Do Jaegyu: Not at all. Honestly, we all know operating unregistered is wrong.
But instead of blindly condemning the guy behind 'Black Shadow,' why not encourage him onto the right path?
Fame, especially as a hunter, might be a burden for him.
From his actions so far... honestly, if 'Black Shadow' had bad intentions, he'd have committed crimes by now. Haha.
Photo: Do Jaegyu smiling warmly.
A photo was attached of the sharply dressed Do Jaegyu casually interviewing with a reporter at a cozy cafe.
"What... the."
Reporter: So you think government regs are too strict?
Do Jaegyu: Hmm... Treating him like a criminal and cornering him isn't the only answer. Sometimes carrots work better than sticks.
I believe there's a reason 'Black Shadow' operates in the shadows.
Unavoidable... hard to reveal, probably. But not abusing his power shows he's likely a good person.
"Why this now."
Checking the date as she read, Sejin's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
[After we met, huh?]
"Spooky how spot on."
She scoured it top to bottom, but no other clues linking Black Shadow and Sejin.
He'd cornered her as Black Shadow before, yet said nothing here.
As if it never happened.
"Chills..."
[Humans' thoughts are a mystery, as always.]
"I'm human too... agreed."
As expected of God Jaegyu. Shout it! This is true magnanimity.
Fans starting. Defending criminals justified?
Honestly, what'd Black Shadow even do wrong?
No brains? What if they go bad?
Anyone not see this interview is to flip off Han Kitae and gov?
Her eyes scanned the comments, but her mind raced elsewhere.
"What's his angle? Sudden praise like this?"
[Better watch your moves for a while.]
"Yeah... makes sense."
Her boiling anger vanished, replaced by goosebumps. Sejin rubbed her arms vigorously with both hands.