Chapter 158
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158
The citizens permitted to reside in the city were divided into 1st-Grade and 2nd-Grade, but the gap between them was astronomical.
Leaving aside the 3rd-Grade Citizens, who were clustered in the provinces and treated like people from another world, 2nd-Grade Citizens were constantly compared to their 1st-Grade counterparts. They often referred to themselves with self-deprecating terms like “beggars” or “country bumpkins.”
Unable to afford the insane rent in the city center, they were forced to live as far out on the outskirts as possible. The farther they went, the closer they settled to the slums.
“…Ah, what the hell.”
A man sat up and turned on his phone. It was past 1:00 AM.
“Ah, seriously, the laundry… fuck.”
It had to be completely wrinkled by now.
“I think the alarm went off. Why didn’t I wake up?”
The man grumbled as he gathered his clothes from the communal laundry room. He imagined a 1st-Grade Citizen seeing him and sneering, wondering if someone like him even cared about cleanliness.
Still, just because we don’t have money doesn’t mean we don’t have pride. We already get called dirty; we can’t actually become filthy.
The tall, dilapidated apartment building practically blended into the neighboring red-light district. The walls were paper-thin, forcing him to live with a constant barrage of noise, and every visible fixture was rusted and creaking. It was no wonder the 1st-Grade Citizens, who lived exclusively in the pristine city center, pointed fingers and called this area filthy.
But he couldn’t show up to work looking like a beggar, so this was the bare minimum effort he had to make. The ancient washing machine hadn’t spun properly, and the water-logged laundry was incredibly heavy.
“Ugh.”
The stairs groaned with every step.
Returning to his apartment with the laundry basket, the man headed straight for the veranda. Winter hadn’t fully thawed, and the air was still bitingly cold. Just how cold is it? he wondered, pulling out his phone.
“……”
1:24 AM.
“…Huh?”
As he glanced at the screen, a couple on the street below caught his eye.
“What the hell, at this hour?”
His voice dropped to a whisper instinctively.
Since his residential area was built right next to the red-light district, it wasn’t uncommon to see people, like animals in heat, slinking into the dark alleys late at night to quickly take care of their business.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be that kind of situation. The man and woman looked surprisingly decent.
The guy looks like a Hunter. Isn’t that the Gita Orphanage over there? I guess they have business there… but why go to an empty, abandoned building with no monsters?
And then, the man saw it.
“……”
A cat-shaped jewel, letting out a chillingly beautiful cry.
“…Uh…”
At that bell-like sound, young souls began to walk out of the abandoned building, one by one.
“Uh, uh…”
And the one who ruled over them all.
“—”
A priest.
…No, a Tamer?
Before he could organize his thoughts, the man realized his eyes had met those of the platinum-blonde Hunter.
In that instant, his breath caught in his throat.
“……”
Only after a long while did he come to his senses, slumped on the veranda floor. Everything he had just seen had vanished as if it had never happened.
“…Uh, wh-what was that?”
He couldn’t clearly recall what he had witnessed. He was certain their eyes had met, but the memory of what happened in between was a complete blank.
Fuck, they weren’t kidding when they said Hunters are terrifying… We just made eye contact, and I almost pissed myself.
He figured he must have panicked after locking eyes with an overwhelmingly powerful Hunter. Knowing such things could happen, the man accepted the situation without another thought and picked up his phone, his hands slick with cold sweat.
The cheap phone was heavy and slow, but even so, the hand holding it trembled uncontrollably.
“…Ghosts? In this day and age?”
When he turned on the screen, silent notifications flooded in.
They were from the local community forum he frequented. The man instinctively knew that this quiet uproar was connected to what he had just witnessed.
I wasn’t the only one who saw it.
It wasn’t an illusion.
With trembling hands, he began typing a title for a new post on the community forum.
I saw it clear as day with my own two eyes (pic attached)
This was the first snowball set rolling by ‘Mr. Seo Gio.’
* * *
It was a long-standing Korean tradition, one that had survived even the Great Catastrophe: when something happened, you went online.
– ??? What did I just see??
An internet powerhouse.
– A ghost appeared in Gwanak-gu at dawn
– Anyone else see a ghost in Daehak-dong??
– What’s up with that cat crying
– crazy, I saw a ghost
Even if the world had ended and been reborn, the power of Korean social media and online communities remained as strong as ever.
– There were already so many rumors about that place
– Guys, is this about Gi○ Orphanage?
– Just say Gita Orphanage, there’s no point in censoring it lol
– Why is everyone talking about ghosts
– What’s all this fuss since morning
Perhaps because the world had already been turned upside down once, residents of any given area shared a strong sense of community. When an incident occurred, it was considered basic courtesy for locals to share the news.
Because of this, the Gwanak-gu community forum, the site of ‘Hunter Seo Gio’s’ visit, was thrown into a frenzy.
“Hey, a ghost appeared in Gwanak-gu.”
“Are you crazy?”
The rumors spread through the area like wildfire.
*
I saw it clear as day with my own two eyes (pic attached)
I’m the guy who saw the ghost, you Gwanak-gu bumpkins.
So many people are DMing me to ask, so I’m laying it all out here.
Time of sighting: "1:24 AM"
Why do I remember it so clearly? Because I was hanging up my fucking laundry.
Fuck, I set an alarm for 1:00 AM and definitely woke up, but then I fell back asleep.
When I finally woke up for real and checked my phone, it was 1:22 AM.
I went out to the veranda to hang the laundry, and it was so cold I turned on my phone to check the temperature. That’s when it was 1:24 AM.
I’ve explained it this much, so I hope there are no psychos accusing me of faking this.
In this dangerous world, I didn’t want to reveal my address, but I guess those who know, know.
Yeah, you bastards, I live in Daehak-dong.
Anyone who lives in or has visited Daehak-dong knows how tightly packed the houses are.
And you guys know that four-way intersection between those houses, right?
If you don’t know, just picture a shantytown alleyway in Gwanak-gu where all the poor people live.
There’s an orphanage there called 'Gita Orphanage.'
I think it belongs to the government or the Association, but they don’t seem to get much funding.
Why? If they got decent funding, there’s no way they would’ve built an orphanage in a place like this.
I love my neighborhood, but fuck, I have to admit it’s pretty gloomy.
It’s no place for kids to live. But there were tons of kids, right? No money, right? Total ugly ducklings, right?
Anyway, a fire broke out there a while ago, and they all died.
Fuck, fuck, because of that, our building took some damage too.
At least having the kids around made our gloomy neighborhood feel a bit more alive.
But ever since it became a haunted house, it’s gotten about 360 times gloomier.
Alright, you bumpkins, here’s the main point.
Like I said, I went out to the veranda to hang my laundry.
I knew for a fact there wouldn’t be a single soul out at that hour, but there were two people.
It was a guy and a girl, so I was nervous thinking, Fuck, are they about to do some nasty shit here?
There are plenty of desperate animals who do their business in the alleys, so I was on edge.
But the vibe wasn’t like that.
I heard her call him "Hunter, Hunter," so it seemed one of them was a Hunter.
But then, a cat??? It was a cat or something, super shiny and pretty.
And I heard the cat cry.
Ah, fuck, how do I even describe this?
There was this fucking ticklish sensation that made my very soul tremble… there was just something.
The kind of cry that gives you goosebumps all over? Wow, it was a cry that made me think, Holy shit, something big is about to happen.
Even the ghostly wails that chilled our spines last summer weren’t that scary.
Yeah, fuck, I was scared shitless.
The cat kept crying.
And the kids were crying too.
Kids? What kids, you ask?
This is the true majesty of a 'ghost,' you Gwanak-gu bumpkins.
As I listened, I felt a chill. Something was off. Then the "meow" sounds started getting more diverse.
Instinctively, being the weakling I am, I hid and peeked down.
And from that orphanage, which is basically a ruin now, kids who looked perfectly fine came crawling out one by one.
I saw it clear as day with my own two eyes, you bastards.
Fuck, I realized, Ah, so this is what a ghost is.
When those 1st-Grade bastards babbled about souls and shit, I thought they were full of crap.
But wow, Hunters really do see souls. There really is such a thing in this world.
To the naked eye, they just looked like perfectly normal, living kids.
But looking at them, it just clicked.
Those are the kids who died in the recent fire.
And that cat summoned them.
And that blonde Hunter is its owner.
All sorts of thoughts rushed through my head.
I couldn’t even breathe.
My whole body was shaking, and I knew for a fact it wasn’t because of the cold.
It was a spine-chilling shiver, but it didn’t feel gloomy or slimy.
It was the kind of thrill you get when you see something incredibly massive and beautiful.
A feeling of being completely overwhelmed.
It felt like being enchanted.
I couldn’t take a picture of the kids coming out.
They vanished quickly.
But it didn’t feel like their existence itself disappeared.
It felt more like I had been temporarily permitted to see the souls of the dead, and that permitted time had simply run out.
The cat probably did something, but a 2nd-Grade bumpkin like me wouldn’t know.
The woman standing next to the Hunter with the cat must have been a bumpkin like me, because she collapsed in shock.
But fuck, I was slumped on the floor too lolololol…
When I snapped out of it, I was sprawled flat on the veranda floor, my hands and feet shaking like crazy.
Fuck, I think I might have made eye contact with that Hunter too.
Anyway, it was scary as hell.
I completely understand how that woman felt.
I was watching from so far away and felt like this, so how terrifying must it have been up close?
That cat looked like a monster. Was the Hunter a Tamer?
It was too far to see exactly what he looked like.
I took a picture, so take a look.
His face isn’t in it, so don’t start whining about portrait rights.
To the fake-accusers, peace out.
*
A photo was attached to the community post. Whether it was because his hands were shaking, as he claimed, or because of his low-quality phone camera, the photo was extremely blurry.
Even so, it was enough to identify the blonde Hunter and the sprawled-out woman the author had mentioned. Taken from a high vantage point, the photo threw the community into another frenzy.
Comments (149)
– How is this not fake??
– Then he must be a Hunter with a soul-related skill.
– Why would a Hunter with such a high-tier skill… come to… Gwanak-gu…?
– Agreed, at that level, he’s definitely no rookie.
– The cat is so cute.
– Look at its size, you call that cute? We’d be a single bite-sized snack for it.
– Is that an Anti-Cat? Holy shit.
– The woman sprawled out is so funny lololol
– Seriously, the Sprawled Woman…
– Omg, the Sprawled Woman is making me cry T_T
– The Sprawled Woman, this is insane lol
– Isn’t that an Anti-Cat?????
– Excuse me, but what is an Anti-Cat? Is that the cat’s name?
– Anon: It’s a cat-type monster that lives in a dungeon called Vein of Jewels or something.
– ? Was the Anti-Cat a tameable monster??
– No, Anti-Cats are only the size of kittens. Stop crawling out, armchair experts.
– People who don’t know shit are always talking out of their asses.
– Acting like they know everything, smh.
– If it’s a soul-related skill, is he a priest? Gives off Sun Cult vibes…
– No, but why would such a precious Hunter come to such a shabby neighborhood…???
– The blonde priest is insane, gasp gasp
– Block this pervert.
– Even if he’s a Hunter, is it right to openly pant like this?;; Seriously losing faith in humanity.
– Even if he’s a public figure, let’s draw the line.
– Anon: Who cares lol
– He gives off major handsome vibes. You can’t even see his face, but you can feel the good looks.
– Hey, is his height like a streetlamp? Crazy.
– If he’s a priest, isn’t it illegal to bring a monster around??
– Doesn’t seem like a priest. Seeing how well-behaved the monster is, he’s a Tamer, yeah.
– Right, if it weren’t tamed, Gwanak-gu would’ve already burned down.
– What’s an Anti-Cat?
– Anyone know the priest’s name? T_T… Please…
– Is the Sprawled Woman not going to verify herself? lolololol
– 25 years of being a simp tells me this Hunter is a hunk. Hand over his personal info quietly.
– Fuck, why aren’t reporters doing their jobs?
– Couldn’t he be an unregistered Hunter?? He’s such a sudden new face.
– Trash reporters always shut up when we actually need them.
– Are there any blonde Tamers? There are barely any Tamers in the country, and I’ve never seen a blonde one.
– Isn’t that silver hair???
– Seriously, if he’s a new Tamer, isn’t this legendary national pride?
– Why would a Tamer deal with ghosts…?? Seriously, why…??
– I wish some Hunter would come out and explain.
– lololol so is it fake or not?
– Do you think it is?
– Because of people like you, the OP got mad…
– Fake-accusers OUT
*
Around the time the incident spread from the Gwanak-gu forums to the entire Seoul community, the woman at the center of the ghost commotion posted a photo of her own.
“It should be fine now.”
“Uh… yeah…”
“Could you upload it?”
“Can I really upload it?”
“It has been approved by the Collector.”
“Wow.”
*
I am the Sprawled Woman from the Gwanak-gu ghost incident. To explain…
It was a two-shot photo taken with Hunter Seo Gio.
Unlike the previous poster’s blurry picture, this one, taken with permission, was crystal clear. While the woman’s face was covered with a sticker, Hunter Seo Gio’s was fully visible. The content of the post was brief.
A beauty that could ruin a nation.
That was it.
*
Comments (1,623)
– "A beauty that could ruin a nation," crazy lol
– Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome? Why is he so handsome?
– Calm down.
– Fuck, South Korea’s future is so bright.
– Seriously, it was forced to become bright…
– The post is so short, but no other words are needed.
– This is unfair. How did I live for 28 years without knowing this face existed?
– I have to admit, that’s valid.
– He looks like some pretty boy.
– Real lol, that’s a face that’ll get absolutely worshipped.
– (This comment has been deleted due to content guidelines.)
– Wow, he’s seriously handsome.
– "A beauty that could ruin a nation," my ass…
– So this is what they mean by a face that could ruin a country.
– Honestly, if it’s this level, I’d let him ruin it.
– Ah, is he going to ruin us with those lips?
– Please wake up, you simps…
– Hunters are people too, let’s not cross the line, guys.
– The comment section is getting so dirty.
– Admin, please clean up the comment section!!!
– How can a person look so wholesomely handsome?
– There’s literally only one phrase, "a beauty that could ruin a nation," how do you know if he’s wholesome or not?
– His face is wholesome.
The comment section exploded.
“……”
“The reaction is amazing…”
“So it seems.”
And Yoo Seong-un thought:
Indeed, there is nothing like overwhelming visuals to distract from the main point.
As a proud curator, Yoo Seong-un fully acknowledged the beauty possessed by ‘Gio’s Portrait.’
Seeing that public opinion was flowing in a rather positive direction, Yoo Seong-un wore his trademark gentle smile.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
“Oh, no. I’m just glad I could help.”
“As I mentioned before, all of your personal information, Ms. Choi Ra-on, will be protected.”
“Still, some people manage to dig things up…”
“We will take measures to ensure that no issues arise regarding your personal safety due to this cooperation.”
“I-I would appreciate that.”
“You’ve just signed the contract. Do you have any other questions?”
“Um.”
Choi Ra-on, the woman now known to the internet as the “Sprawled Woman,” asked with a solemn face.
“Can I make a fan cafe?”
“…I believe that is within the freedom of the citizens.”
“Ah, well, if Hunter Seo Gio might dislike it, I won’t do it.”
“I will ask him about that matter separately and get back to you.”
“If I get permission, can it become the official fan cafe?”
“I will… ask about that as well.”
“Thank you…!”
“Not at all.”
Yoo Seong-un thought to himself:
Should I schedule some public activities soon?
They needed to ride this wave of attention.
I’m not sure what level of exposure would be appropriate for Gio.
Still, he had absolutely no intention of putting Gio on television. Gio didn’t seem to want excessive attention and appeared to have an aversion to acting like a celebrity. If possible, Yoo Seong-un planned to keep his activities in the underground scene.
Though it will be difficult for him to remain an unofficial Hunter now that things have come to this.
But then, that was what Gio had wanted anyway.
“……”
A dungeon raid would be a safe bet for his first official activity.
…I think there was a decent dungeon raid scheduled that another order or guild was holding onto…
In any case, that was no longer his job.
I should go hand over the duties right away.
Yoo Seong-un felt a warm glow inside at the thought of dumping the work on Ju-hyeon.