Chapter 145
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: 27. Controversy (1)
It started with Kim Min-young's article.
Putting Ito Kenta's press conference front and center, it reported the fact that Kang San was saving people in Kitakyushu. Naturally, people in Korea lost their minds over it. Kang San, who had already made a name for himself through numerous heroic deeds like the Wangsimni Link incident, the Kim Chun-sik incident, and the A-rank Werewolf Lord event, was now burning himself out once again to help others.
At first, no one could make sense of it.
A massive link.
An S-rank evil spirit.
And Japan's humiliating defeat.
No matter how you sliced it, it seemed like an impossible problem for Kang San to solve. But Kim Min-young's follow-up reports and SNS uploads from the Kitakyushu site changed everything. Kang San kept rescuing people nonstop. He had to be at his limit by now, yet footage of survivors teleporting back alive was broadcast in vivid detail.
Everyone was in awe.
As posts flooded in real-time, they swelled with pride knowing Kang San was one of their own Koreans.
If it had ended there,
this incident would have gone down as a shining example of elevating national prestige.
But then came the subjugation team's crushing defeat led by Saito Shusuke, and about a week later, word spread that Kang San had taken down the S-rank evil spirit and returned home. That changed the narrative entirely. This was news so absurd it defied common sense, plunging Korean netizens into chaos.
The possibility that it was all fake.
Kang San's name began circulating negatively.
On a Korean broadcast.
In the main program covering various issues, host Jeong Moon-cheol shouted with a fierce expression.
"Viewers, does this make any sense to you? Before leaving for Japan, Kang San was already in the public eye, passing the B-rank test. His skills were impressive back then, but that didn't prove he was A-rank or higher. And now he's taken down an S-rank monster? Who in their right mind would believe that?"
It had become a social issue.
Did Kang San really defeat an S-rank or not?
That was the question on everyone's lips.
"We can't just let this slide. If we accept the reports from Japan at face value, Kang San—a mere B-rank hunter—gets to add an S-rank monster kill to his resume. Let's think differently now. If his feats were exaggerated, what does he gain from pulling off such an outrageous lie? People aren't stupid enough to swallow it whole, so what scheme is he cooking up?"
Ratings broke 20%.
As they climbed in real-time, Jeong Moon-cheol's voice gained even more force.
"This is just a hypothesis, but one person profited massively from the Kitakyushu crisis in Japan: the politician from the Peace Happiness Party, Ito Kenta, who first reported Kang San's actions to the press. In fact, Ito Kenta was politically cornered by Assemblyman Shimizu Hiroshi, but by backing Kang San, he completely turned the tables. Shimizu Hiroshi became a traitor who abandoned Japanese citizens, while Ito Kenta rose as a politician who reads the public mood, boosting his chances as next prime minister. Yes, that's right—this could be a massive cartel tangled up in Japanese politics. That scene of Ito Kenta kneeling in prayer for Kang San's safe return? It was just a show to lock in support from a scripted future."
The comments section exploded.
It made sense.
If you denied Kang San's achievements,
there was no better motive for a lie that would inevitably be exposed.
"Of course, we can't deny his feats based on mere hypothesis. He's shown heroic actions in Korea too, so rather than blindly dismissing it, we need a clear verification process. And that's simple."
He looked beyond the camera.
At the viewers.
Jeong Moon-cheol, often called the king of sensationalism on public TV for chasing hot issues and stirring drama, grinned savagely.
"Taking down an S-rank evil spirit means possessing that level of power. Right here, I recommend that Kang San take the S-rank test to prove himself. If he doesn't, his hard-earned image could crumble like a sandcastle."
At that moment,
Kang San met with Baek Seong-hyeon, team leader at Hunter Management Bureau headquarters.
The man who had once offered recruitment to 'Guardian.' Now, he brought unwelcome news.
"...This is a tricky situation. The global standard for S-rank qualification is either slaying an S-rank monster or simultaneously defeating ten A-rank hunters certified by your country. If what happened in Japan is true, it means we have to assign Kang San an S-rank."
That was why the controversy had erupted.
Jeong Moon-cheol's mention of an S-rank career was pointing out that Kang San's ranking might be wrongly assigned.
Kang San said,
"I understand what you mean."
"I'm sorry. The Japanese government has officially recognized your achievement, but even from our Hunter Management Bureau's perspective, there are many questionable points. First, the evil spirit's rank hasn't been confirmed as S-rank. Second, even if it was, no one directly witnessed your feat. And above all, you recently took the B-rank test. You showed outstanding skill then, but it was still within B-rank limits. I doubt even you would claim it approached A-rank, let alone S-rank."
"You don't need to beat around the bush. So, why did you come to see me?"
The conclusion was obvious.
They couldn't grant S-rank.
But Baek Seong-hyeon's personal visit wasn't just for that.
"It doesn't make rational sense, but I trust what I've seen of you firsthand. No matter how it happened, you saved people in Kitakyushu and resolved the root problem by defeating the evil spirit—that much is true. So, here's my suggestion: why not take the official S-rank test? If you fulfill the second promotion condition by taking on ten A-rank hunters at once and proving your strength, you could silence the boiling public opinion in one go."
It was a reasonable proposal.
Baek Seong-hyeon was extending his utmost goodwill.
He acknowledged Kang San's past actions and didn't want to brand him a liar outright.
Current opinion was negative.
Especially after Jeong Moon-cheol's broadcast, whispers of him being a traitor colluding with the Japanese government were flying.
Kang San's deliberation was brief.
It wasn't even worth considering.
"I'm sorry, but I'll decline. I only handled the S-rank evil spirit with a special ability—I don't have the power to rank up to S. It's a title that doesn't suit me anyway, so no need to apologize."
Rejection.
That was Kang San's decision.
After sending Baek Seong-hyeon off,
he met with his party right away.
Jeong Chan-woo stared at his phone, his face flushed with outrage.
"These fucking bastards— what do they know, spouting such bullshit!"
His face was beet red.
His breathing was so ragged you could hear it from the side; Jeong Chan-woo couldn't calm his excitement.
The rest of the party felt the same.
Jo Han-byeol and Yeon Woo-bin showed their discomfort, while Nakamura Genji and the Jessica sisters—who had directly benefited—were ready to appear on Jeong Moon-cheol's channel if needed. Yet Kang San himself was utterly calm. Seeing his unchanged expression, Jeong Chan-woo asked in frustration,
"Hyung, aren't you pissed? People are talking crap."
"Not really. If it's something I can't prove with an S-rank test anyway, I don't want to waste energy responding."
It did grate on him.
But there was no way around it.
Claiming he defeated the S-rank evil spirit with a special ability was a truth no one would believe now. The evil spirit was a mysterious entity without precedent. That was why the Japanese government had buried and ignored the Kitakyushu issue.
And above all,
'Right now, the S-rank outbreak is more important.'
About three months ahead.
Time was tight.
For Kang San, rather than responding to every controversy, he had more pressing matters.
"The reason I called you all here is because we're worn out from Japan, so I want everyone to rest for the next two weeks. Then, in two weeks, we'll start raids in earnest."
The translation artifact worked its magic.
With Nakamura Genji and the Jessica sisters in their multinational party, they always relied on its effect.
"Got it."
"Sounds good."
Everyone agreed.
It was necessary time for Kang San.
During their stay in Japan,
he'd gotten word from Amwol (Dark Moon), the info brokers he'd commissioned.
Investigation complete.
Kang San said,
"See you in two weeks, then."
Days passed since Kang San's return.
With no response despite the program's blatant provocation, host Jeong Moon-cheol looked displeased.
"This isn't fun."
By his plan,
Kang San would respond via media or take the test.
He'd assumed some reaction.
But Kang San acted like his image meant nothing, staying publicly silent.
It put Jeong Moon-cheol in a bind.
This whole thing.
He'd been commissioned by the 'Drake Guild.'
Highlight negative issues to tarnish Kang San's reputation—that was the ask, and it aligned perfectly with his suspicions, so he'd bitten. Jeong Moon-cheol's shows often ran on backroom deals. This one had him hooked too, with viewers buzzing.
The PD in charge asked,
"Moon-cheol, what about the next broadcast?"
"What do you mean? Airing nothing would be boring. Viewers would be disappointed, and backlash would build."
"No reaction after days—he probably won't respond."
"True, but... wait."
Something flashed in his mind.
In the end,
this industry thrives on sensationalism.
Having hosted the main program for years, Jeong Moon-cheol knew the perfect picture viewers craved.
"What if we run our own test?"
"Pardon?"
"S-rank qualification is slaying an S-rank monster or beating ten A-rank hunters at once. The first is impossible, but the second isn't. If we broadcast Kang San facing A-rank hunters live, it'd perfectly deliver what viewers want, right?"
A grin spread across his face.
Like how age etches your life into your features, his was smeared with greed.
"Contact Drake Guild right now. Hold on—I'll save this show."