Chapter 35
Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Refrigerator
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The clones couldn't focus for even ten minutes, no matter how good a lecture I played for them.
Instead, the moment I looked away even briefly, they'd notice like ghosts and immediately switch the channel to some stimulating shorts.
Eventually, I changed the direction of the clone training.
I hadn't given up on the dream of effortless auto-hunting.
I'd just decided to use my brain a little more.
After some deliberation, I bought another cheap prepaid smartphone.
Then I searched the app store for a youth harmful media filtering app.
"With a zero-star rating, this must be the best one."
These kinds of apps were guaranteed to work best when they had low ratings and reviews full of curses.
The reviews were packed with profanity demanding they stop infringing on students' rights.
Rights? What rights do clones have?
Now, the only thing the clones could see was the educational videos I permitted.
I placed a few mini clones—shrunken to the size of my palm—on the desk and set the locked phone in front of them.
"Alright, today's this."
Today's video was spear technique training.
I handed each of them a toothpick to use as a weapon.
"A spear is the ultimate weapon, after all."
It was easy to learn and maximized power when wielded in formation.
For me, operating multiple sand clones, a spear suited me better than a sword.
It was probably right.
It was the same logic I'd read endlessly in Hunter Gallery flame wars over the "sword vs. spear" debate.
"Now, focus properly and follow along."
The mini clones started staring intently at the martial artist moving on the screen.
A few of them stood up and mimicked the movements.
Their motions were still clumsy.
But they were definitely improving bit by bit.
"That's right, learn it slowly like that."
I smiled in satisfaction and sat down at the computer as usual.
Now, I'd leave the combat training to them.
It was time for me to focus on my main job.
As always, I logged into the Hunter Gallery.
"Anything fun today...?"
I needed some new bait.
It was while scrolling mindlessly.
"Huh?"
A title that stood out in the Hunter Gallery featured posts list caught my eye.
A post with abnormally high views and recommendations, giving off an ominous vibe.
I clicked it without hesitation.
[Title: Exposing the Atrocities of A-rank Hunter Eun Mirae.]
Hello, Hunter Gallery.
I'm just an ordinary guy in my twenties.
I can't suffer in silence anymore, so I'm mustering the courage to write this.
The target of my exposé is A-rank Freezing Mage and government research institute researcher Eun Mirae.
Eun Mirae recruited me and other civilians, claiming we could awaken as hunters through her experiments.
But the true nature of those experiments was horrific torture.
The participants, including me, were isolated from the outside world in a facility for 30 days and forced to endure the following:
Forcing us to eat a bowl of dirt every day for 30 days.
Administering non-lethal electric shocks every day for 30 days....
And other unspeakable horrors.
We endured that hellish time solely for the hope of becoming hunters.
But after 30 days, not a single one of us had awakened.
They deceived us.
She used her status as an A-rank hunter to treat civilians like us as lab rats.
Please help.
I beg you to recommend this post so it spreads far and wide, ensuring proper punishment.
I stared blankly at the screen after finishing the post.
I realized it immediately.
"This... is about me."
The magic villain's comment that I'd followed.
The one saying eating dirt makes you an earth mage, getting shocked makes you a lightning mage.
She actually tested it? On civilians, no less?
And sure enough, the comments were already ablaze.
> Isn't this insane if true?
> [Reporter] Hello, this is XX Daily reporter. Please send details via email.
> Has to be fake. Why would an A-rank hunter need to do that?
> > Seriously, no proof at all. What makes you believe it?
> I'm staying neutral for now.
The gallery was a chaotic mess of curses, outrage, fake claims, and reporters sniffing out a scoop.
It was pure pandemonium.
Comments were piling up several times faster than usual.
The situation was spiraling out of control.
Amid the gallery burning for a while like that.
A new featured post went up.
The author was none other than Eun Mirae herself.
[Title: This is Eun Mirae. Clarifying the Current Controversy.]
The follow-up statement was utterly reasonable and logically sound.
First, the experiment was not coercive torture but a formal research project conducted with mutual consent.
Second, all participants were fully informed in advance of the detailed process and risks.
They personally signed contracts explicitly stating the possibility of failed awakening and physical or mental aftereffects.
Third, participants received over 1 billion won per person as a contract fee.
Fourth, healers were on 24-hour standby throughout the experiment to monitor each participant's health one-on-one in case of emergencies.
No participants have reported any disabilities or health issues to date.
Finally, fifth: Participants could drop out at any time. Even then, they received 1 billion won.
The post ended with attached mosaic-blurred contract copies and proof of massive transfers.
It was a flawless rebuttal leaving no room for argument.
As soon as the clarification posted, the boiling public opinion flipped 180 degrees.
> Wait, 1 billion??
> Dude, give me 1 billion and I'll do it. Sign me up now.
> Keeping this sweet gig to herself?
> So they took 1 billion and whined about not awakening??
> I love eating dirt. 20 years as a dirt peasant. Where do I apply?
The whistleblower instantly became a fraudster.
I watched in real-time as the accuser turned into a despicable con artist and clicked my tongue.
Now, people's interest shifted to why she ran such an experiment.
Soon, the Hunter Gallery old-timers started chiming in one by one.
> But doesn't that experiment sound familiar?
> Yeah. Eating dirt and getting shocked. I've heard it somewhere.
> Oh, that. The magic villain comment.
> >> No way, it's that lololol. She actually did it? Lmaoooo
The gallery ignited again over fresh bait.
An A-rank hunter at a government research institute.
The fact that Eun Mirae seriously tested an internet comment.
It provided people with new fodder.
> 1 billion per troll comment? Tax money melting away~
> Wow, people actually believed that lol. Even I wouldn't, lmao.
> I eat jjajangmyeon every day. When do I awaken as jjajang mage???
> >> What's jjajang mage's power lol
> >> Summons jjajangmyeon in enemy's head and kills them.
> >> Sounds like some Jjajang Jjajang fruit bullshit.
Most reactions were mockery.
I muttered quietly to myself as I watched.
"I actually awakened."
The beetle hadn't lied.
Anyway, the commotion seemed to be dying down.
I headed to the Mage Gallery.
Sure enough, the central figure of the incident, Refrigerator, had just posted a lamenting thread.
[Title: FML, interview requests pouring in....]
Author: Refrigerator
So annoying. Sigh....
Short post. Familiar nicknames were commenting below.
> Magic is Firepower: I told you last time I tried it and it didn't work. She actually did it?
> Refrigerator: Thought maybe non-awakened could do it....
> pkkatchu: Lolololol so how much budget did you burn this time? Getting fired yet? Lololol
> Refrigerator: Shut up. I'm stressed.
> Refrigerator: Beetle, any chance you'll reveal your source now? Would've made research way easier.
But the beetle remained silent as always.
That's when I stepped in.
> Anon (D55.555): Hey, don't I deserve royalties for this? If you had money for 1 billions, give some to me~ Sigh. I'd have told you everything.
A light troll comment, as usual.
But the response was unexpected.
Refrigerator suddenly got serious.
> Refrigerator: Wanna try for real?
> Refrigerator: Come to our lab, I'll pay you. Serious offer.
> Anon (D55.555): Ah, offline meetup still feels too soon. ^^;
I smoothly backed off. Refrigerator snapped back like she'd been waiting.
> Refrigerator: See? Told you he won't show.
> Refrigerator: Ugh, but seriously, why didn't it work? Hey, be honest. Wasn't there something else?
Persistent probing.
But I didn't know the difference between them and me either.
> Anon (D55.555): Hmm... dunno... newbie doesn't know...
> Refrigerator: Whatever, idk anymore. Whatever happens, happens.
I could feel her deep frustration even in the comments.
***
A few days later, I was lying on the living room sofa, munching snacks while watching TV.
The evening news was covering that incident from days ago.
Eun Mirae, at the center of the controversy, was on screen doing an interview.
"That's Refrigerator, huh?"
A skin-tight black knit dress that hugged her figure perfectly.
A pristine white lab coat draped over it.
Her dark blue hair neatly tied up accentuated her icy aura.
The epitome of a cool beauty elite.
Even amid flashing cameras, her expression showed no flicker of unease.
A reporter asked a question.
"Isn't Researcher Eun Mirae a top elite who graduated top of Korea's best university and earned the youngest PhD?"
"Yes, I'm pretty exceptional."
"...Yet the public struggles to understand why you'd conduct something as seemingly unscientific as feeding people dirt. About that..."
"Scientists don't worry about public eyes—that's for politicians. I'm a scientist."
"...There's also controversy over the inhumanity. Don't you feel any moral responsibility?"
"After using expensive heels and getting 1 billion won, shouldn't they be the ones staying quiet?"
She answered the reporter's questions flawlessly with an unchanging blank face.
Through the screen, I could sense the deep irritation hidden beneath that cold expression.
I smirked as I watched.
Then I immediately opened the Mage Gallery.
I was about to upload a screenshot of the news when...
"...What, someone already did? How are they so fast."
[Title: Refrigerator on the news lololol]
Author: pkkatchu
You can totally see she's pissed lolol
> Refrigerator: Take this post down -_-
> Anon (T11.111): Great interview. I'm a fan.
> pkkatchu: Must've been tough managing that expression. Good job holding it in lol
> Anon (T11.111): Looked like she couldn't hold it lololol
> Refrigerator: Ugh, stop it you psychos!!
> pkkatchu: She's sulking. Cute.
> Refrigerator: Fuuuuck....
Finally, Refrigerator left with a last message: "I'm really leaving the gallery. Have fun without me."
I leaned back in my chair and burst out laughing.